Senior Agriculture Officer:- Nutrition & Home Economics

Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries-

Uganda.

Food systems resilience in economic/ food price crisis: Lessons from Uganda

Presented By: Stephen BIRIBONWA (Mr.)

Food System definition,

Uganda country profile,

Food Production, Promotion & Utilization,

Food Marketing Systems/Distribution Channels,

Policy Framework Guiding/supporting Food Systems,

Interventions/Actions Supporting Food System Resilience to Economic/Price Crisis,

Lessons and/or Key Message

Presentation outline

Food System

• A food system is composed of the environment, people, institutions and processes through which agricultural products are produced, processed and brought to the consumers.

That path from field to fork (the entire value chains) is extremely critical.Every aspect of the food system has an effect on the final availability and accessibility of diverse, nutritious foods-and therefore on consumers’ ability to choose healthy diets.

Uganda country profile• Total area: 241,038 Km2 ;• Land area: 197,100 Km2;• Water area: 43,938 Km2 ; (15.4%) • Population: 34.9 million people(UBO

2014) Over 70% of the population employed in agriculture.

• The Equator divides the country into the northern and southern hemisphere; this has an effect on climate/rainfall patterns: Mainly Bimodal rainfall pattern; rainy (March-June & September-November).

Diets mainly composed of plantain, starchy roots crops (cassava, sweet potatoes, yams, Potato) and cereals (maize, millet, sorghum, rice, wheat). Pulses, nuts and green leafy vegetables complement the diet.

Uganda country profile …,• Majority of population live in rural set-ups & produce

food for their consumption. Agricultural sector has many players.

• Diverse crop production system dominates and diverse food varieties including cash crops and food crops, supported by the bi-modal rainfall patterns, agro-ecological zones [10] and urban/peri-urban agriculture.

• Fresh water lakes & rivers with various fish species & Aquaculture (fish farming) practiced

• Animals and Crop varieties including indigenous crops that are high yielding and resilient to climate change (indigenous tomatoes, coco-yams, yams, goose-berries) as well as seasonal insects (grass hoppers, white ants).

• Priority and strategic commodities are promoted

Food Production, promotion & UtilizationDiverse varieties of foods are produced/promoted and utilized in various combinations and forms• Maize is eaten as a meal,

porridge, roasted, as grain. • Maize, millet, sorghum,

cassava are eaten as porridge, meal or fermented drinks [Ajon, Muramba].

• Milk taken as fresh, fermented bongo, cheese, ghee

• Seasonal insects [grass hoppers]

Food marketing systems/distribution channels

• Distributing food from areas of high production to areas of low/scarcity for example: matooke, maize, rice, beans, groundnuts, maize, tomatoes, fruits & vegetables, cassava potatoes and poultry, goats, cattle from production regions/zones to other areas especially the urban and peri urban areas.

• Local markets and supermarkets are key in food marketing.

Policy framework Guiding/supporting Food Systems Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995

Stipulates the right to adequate (both in quality and quantity) food to all people in Uganda (Article XXII).

Uganda Vision 2040 focuses on improving the quality of life of its population, health and nutrition status.

National Development Plan II, 2016-2020: Food Security and Nutrition be integrated in line sectors development plans.

National Agriculture Policy, 2013: Its overall objective is to achieve Food and Nutrition Security and improve Household incomes.

Agriculture Sector Strategic Plan Uganda’s CAADP compact, and is well aligned to CAADP pillars.

Uganda Nutrition Action Plan promotes a multi-sectorial approach to tackle malnutrition and nutrition issues. Objective 2 is to promote the production & consumption of diverse diets (SUN Movement).

National Agriculture Extension Policy & Decentralisation policy

.

Interventions/Actions Supporting Food System Resilience to Economic/Price Crisis

• Emphasis on 12 Priority and 4 Strategic Commodities as a Strategic Direction to spur economic development:- cassava, beans, rice, banana, maize, Fruits & vegetables coffee, tea, cocoa, cotton, vegetable oil & oil crops (soy bean, groundnuts, sesame, sun flower), livestock (Meat) & dairy cattle, and fish

• Research promotion: Through NARO (bio-fortification strategy to improve micro-nutrient availability hence mitigate hide hunger-Micro-nutrient malnutrition e.g High Iron and Zinc Rich beans (HIB), Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP)

• Provision of seeds/planting materials by NAADS/OWC: Promotion of Food security crops at house hold level: maize, beans, cassava, potatoes, tomatoes, vegetables.

• Provision of extension services up to sub county level • Promotion production & consumption of small animals

(piggery, goats, sheep, rabbits, poultry [kuroiller])

Interventions/Actions Supporting Food System Resilience to Economic/Price Crisis …,

• Promotion production and consumption of apiary products (bee keeping),

• Promotion of the production, consumption/utilization of silver fish (mukene) for human consumption

• Promoting Household food processing & preservation technologies hence increasing food shelf life, availability and bio availability (fermentation-YOGURT-AMUDAT, smoking, drying, solar drying of fruits),

• Promotion of aquaculture (fish farming) • Promotion of urban farming (including; kitchen gardening,

mushrooms growing, poultry) as a safety net for poor and food insecure households in the urban/peri-urban areas.

Lessons and/or Key Message

Developing and implementation of policies geared  at improving household food security and nutrition which promote the production and consumption of various foods including indigenous foods and indigenous knowledge use is needed, together with improved food distribution channels to keep food prices stable during crises.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Name: Stephen BIRIBONWA (Mr.)Title: Senior Agricultural Officer:- Nutrition & Home Economics Address: Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry & Fisheries, P.O Box 102, Plot 14 – 18 Lugard Street

Entebbe-UGANDA.Telephone: (M) +256 772 439 868, +256 702 439 868,Email: sbiribonwa@yahoo.com, abelbiribonwa@gmail.comSkype: abakstepWeb site: www.agriculture.go.ug