Kampala — The European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Department has allocated 3 million Euros (about Shs7.5 billion) for food assistance in northern Uganda.

The aid is part of a multi-donor support to the 1.8 million people who are either still in internally displaced camps or are returning to their former homes.

It is also expected to benefit residents faced with food insecurity due to unreliable, rains in Karamoja and last year's floods in Teso sub-region.

According to a statement by the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) on October 31, the decision to release the funds followed an agreement signed with World Food Programme (WPF) in Brussels on October 24, to supply northern Uganda with food relief.

According to WFP statistics, 939,000 Acholi, 707,000 Karimojong, and 144,000 Iteso are still facing food insecurity.

ECHO has been working closely with various United Nations agencies, NGOs, the Office of the Prime Minister and districts in Acholi, Lango, Teso and Karamoja sub- regions to attend to the needs of these people.

"The food assistance is a supplement to other support by the European Union for people to produce their own food as a long-term solution to the food insecurity," the EU statement said.

The 22-year old northern insurgency induced by the Lord's Resistance Army has rendered would be productive people useless in the region.

The war caused the displacement of an estimated 1.8 million people in Acholi, Lango and Teso sub-regions.

Since the signing of the ceasefire agreement in 2006, at least half of the IDPs have returned to their original homes.

There are still more than 623,000 persons living in the camps.