evaluation of general food distribution in northern uganda: gulu ...

9 RELIEF AND RECOVERY – CONNECTEDNESS9.1 From Relief to Recovery – The LinkagesFollowing the improved security situation, Northern Uganda is currently transitioning from thehumanitarian phase to the recovery phase. The goal of the UN and the humanitarianorganisations in terms of food security for the North is clearly stated in the CAP of 2008: “Tosupport, stabilise and improve the food security and livelihoods of households affected byand recovering from conflict …”. And for the Acholi region more specifically: “…to provide a“soft landing” for returning households while not neglecting the needs of continuingIDPs…” 145 .On the GoU side the PRDP was launched to guide the recovery efforts in the North andensure coherence and coordination amongst the various actors. Under Strategic Objective 2of the PRDP (rebuilding and empowering of communities) cognizance is taken of thechallenges that IDPs are likely to experience during the transition period. This StrategicObjective is geared towards providing social service and livelihoods support, to assisthouseholds to achieve a level of normalization beyond mere survival levels .Box 11: PRDP Strategic Objective 2Rebuilding and empowering of communities♦♦♦♦improving the conditions and quality of life of the displaced personsreturn and reintegration of displaced populationsinitiating community rehabilitation and recovery activit ies in all communitiesprovision of services and protection of vulnerable peopleOfficial implementation of the PRDP is expected to start in the FY 2008/ 2009. In the interim,government has through the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) distributed seed s and toolsto some IDPs to support agricultural production; and intends to distribute iron sheets to eachIDP household later this year 146 . Plans are also underway to identify model farmers to besupported under the NAADs programme 147 .Having declared the emergency phase over government, donors and humanitarianorganisations/agencies are keen to see the return process in full gear. Although thecomprehensive peace deal is still to be finalised, the government is confident that peace willprevail and is urging the communities to leave the camps and return to their villages oforigin 148 There are those who hold the view that food assistance to IDPs in the camps is‘delaying’ the return process 149 and would rather that it was shifted to the return areas to actas a pull factor. As we shall see in the following chapters experiences from 20 camps inGulu have not entirely confirmed this argument. Nevertheless, the tone on food assistancehas ignited a discussion on a Food Aid Phase Out strategy (see chapter 11) in tandem withthe changing context and shift to recovery and development.9.2 From Relief to Recovery – The GapsThe relatively stable security environment has triggered movements of IDPs from the maincamps to the transit sites. However the pace has been slower than anticipated. As of March2008, approximately 50% of the 1.102.438 IDPs in Acholi are said to have left the main145CAP OCHA 2008, p. 31146It should be noted that Kitgum has more than 70.000 households, but has so far been given only 33.000 iron sheets147Interview RDC, Kitgum148Interview with district leaders, Gulu149Interview with WFP, Gulu45