The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU) in Uganda is organizing a regional conference to take stock of recent research in Karamoja, northwest Kenya, and neighbouring areas of South Sudan and Ethiopia, and to draw out lessons for policy and programming. This conference will provide an opportunity for critical reflection on the different pathways to resilience in the “Karamoja Cluster”, to share new learning from the dynamics of change and innovation happening in these areas, and to promote dialogue on policy options at regional, national and local levels.

The KRSU will use the conference as a platform for researchers from Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan and South Omo, Ethiopia to present their research, alongside international researchers. The conference will include topics such as:

• Trends in pastoralist and agro-pastoralist livelihoods, and policy implications
• Gender and development
• Challenges and opportunities for equitable livestock development
• Securing access to land and water
• Basic services and social protection – health, education and safety nets
• Drought management and drought response
• Diversified and alternative livelihoods
• Small towns and urban growth
• The persistence of child malnutrition
• Social change
• Changes to governance, and local, national and regional policies Cross border issues in the Karamoja Cluster- market integration; access to resources and reciprocity; peace and conflict management
• Emerging trends – extractives, land acquisition, alcohol abuse, and the impacts of new infrastructure and communication.

For further information about the conference, please visit www.karamojaresilience.org or email to Mesfin Ayele, Chief of Party, KRSU - [email protected]