Uganda Is Food Secure Despite Covid

Posted by: lukwago J in Uganda news February 4, 2021

Although covid negatively affected local businesses, agriculture sector posted impressive food production and Uganda is food secure, Agriculture Minister Ssempijja has said.

According to the Minister, Uganda registered total cereal production for 2020 at about 3.6 million tonnes, nearly 4 percent up from 2019 and similar to the average of the previous five years.

He projects the sector further perform well this financial year 2021/2022 due to agriculture sector budget increase.

According to budget frame work paper prepared by ministry of finance agriculture sector has been allocated sh 1.5trillion.

Food and Agriculture Organisation reports that Uganda’s fertile agricultural land has the potential to feed 200 million people that’s in Uganda herself, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Mozambique, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Burundi, Mauritius, Djibouti and Comoros.

Global food status

On annual basis, Africa spends about US$ 35 billion on food imports, an amount equivalent to Uganda’s entire GDP. Researchers have indicated that although global food demand is expected to increase 60 percent by 2050 from the 2007 position, the rise will be much greater in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region at greatest food security risk because by 2050 its population will increase two and a half times and demand for cereals will approximately triple. Current levels of cereal consumption already depend on substantial imports.

Ssempijja was addressing the media on farming prospects and rain pattern to guide farmers at Uganda media centre.

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