Although primarily pastoralists, the Karamojong people have slowly begun to adapt to agriculture practices, using zero input methods that utilize a variety of indigenous seed, rich soils and rainwater… farming as it has been practiced for thousands of years.
For decades, this remote region close to the borders of Kenya and Ethiopia has all but been forgotten as the Ugandan government, concerned with the lack of security, had favoured the districts that were easier to manage and closer to the capital Kampala in the south. So for decades, money, infrastructure and development had continued to evade Uganda’s (economically) poorest district leaving the people to carry on life as they had done for generations.
The Karamojong, have always been caring and as in most communities, the concept of commons and the sharing of resources has always been central to the clan’s ability to sustain not just their resources but also their customs and culture.
This way of life is now under threat as mining companies come to exploit the resources and make as much money as possible before packing up and leaving the land polluted and exhausted.