Uganda is naturally well endowed with good soils, vegetation, climate, and weather and located at the heart of the equator compared to other countries!
By Muzeyi Faizo
Kampala – July 13, 2022: For time immemorial, our motherland has depended solely on agriculture as a backbone. As we speak now, Uganda is experiencing extreme hunger and famine in the North-Eastern, Karamoja.
According to media reports, both livestock and people are struck by hunger and famine conditions thus leading to death in the wake of cattle rustling in the said sub-region.
This looming hunger is very unfortunate and calls for urgent intervention by the government and other humanitarian urgencies to come to the immediate rescue of our people with food items most especially in the areas of Karamoja where the situation is worse!
The food shortage is now extending to Teso, Acholi, Lango, and West Nile sub-regions and other parts of the life-threatening country. This is coming at a time when people are struggling with skyrocketing prices of almost all commodities and still suffering the consequences of Covid 19 pandemic and its related constraints which include but are not limited to the lockdown.
UPC has noted with concern that the dry spell is currently a general problem across the country due to climate change that is brought about by deforestation and encroachment on wetlands hence the disastrous effects being faced as a country.
And if the issue of climate change is not handled adequately, the situation may get out of hand and Uganda would not wish to be moved in that direction!
UPC, therefore, urges the Government to effectively arrest the issue of climate change with the utmost attention by leading by example to encourage people to plant more trees as well as preserving the environment, water bodies, soils, swamps, and forests which are key for sustainable agricultural productivity.
However, If not for the aforementioned human activities, Uganda is naturally well endowed with good soils, vegetation, climate, and weather and located at the heart of the equator compared to other countries!
This ought to put us as a country in a commanding position to boost and produce enough food throughout the year with the available rainfall all year round.
Incredibly, all the national budgets since 1986 have never funded Agriculture beyond 5% of the national budget of our country, Uganda! Yet Maputo’s declaration on Agriculture demands that all countries should spend at least 13% of their national budgets on Agriculture.
This is in line with Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). You can only achieve such goals by investing heavily in key sectors like agriculture which is the backbone of this country.
And to come out of food insecurity, let the country put enough resources into Agriculture, and revolutionize or modernize farming using appropriate science and technology. This will witness increased production of agricultural produce.
To achieve all, demands for proper planning and resource allocations with supportive agencies are critical for a successful green revolution.
For God and My Country
The writer is Head of Media and Communications of UPC party.
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