KAMPALA – The Food Rights Alliance (FRA) a civil society organization that supports sustainable farming techniques, smart water use, market access and innovation in volatile climates has specified that malnutrition is the leading indicator of low development index, especially in the global south.
This was during a Public Forum on making Food and Nutrition Security core in the Third National Development Plan (NDP).
“Food is a national strategic resource that shapes development aspirations and wellbeing of society. However, Uganda’s population growth (3%), is higher than that of food production (2%), which indicates that the demand could outstrip supply, “said Dr. Peter Milton Rukundo of Kyambongo University.
With this assessment, he added that the next NDP needs submit a plan and way forward for Uganda, to overcome this bottleneck.
Immaculate Yossa Daisy, Humanistic Instituut Voor Ontwikkelingssamenwerking (HiVOS) Humanist Institute for Cooperation with developing countries, also stated as the population increases, more food is demanded.
“We see increasingly high numbers of malnutrition and obesity which is why we are here to discuss nutrition and I hope that today, we shall put on our nutrition lenses,” she added.
Maureen Bakunzi, Assistant Commissioner of Policy Implementation and Coordination at Office of the Prime Minister, addressed sensitization of people and policymakers as a way of promoting food and nutrition security.
“As we go through the planning period, we should emphasize food and nutrition. We should also, that the co-ordination structures we have set up, are exercised in the sector of food and nutrition,” added Mrs. Maureen Bakunzi.
The Head of Department Population and Social Planning at the National Planning Authority (NPA), Sarah Nahalamba, encouraged FRA and her partners to feel free to contact NPA about the third Plan.
“NDP is a living document and changes can be made till the final day of printing. Therefore, feel free to contact us about NDP (3),” encouraged Ms. Nahalamba.
John Kiwagalo, Project Coordinator of Food System Solution platform project with Slow Food Uganda (SFU), while giving remarks, said, “we should have agriculture, animal husbandry and fishing sector focus on food and nutrition since nutrition starts in the garden.”
