MUK partners with Police, prisons to fight hunger

By Agnes Nantambi

 Makerere University Kampala College of Agricultural Science has partnered with the Police and Prisons to fight hunger in the detention centers.

Under the partnership the College will provide the necessary equipment and skills to the officers and inmates on how to utilize their land and produce food for sale and for consumption.

The development will help the institutions to save funds that were otherwise being spent on purchasing food.

 "The Prisons department has 40,000 hectares of land but have been utilizing only 300," said Andrew Sorowen the director special duties in the Police Force said.

 Sorowen noted that the partnership will help the partners share knowledge and resources for better benefits to the inmates and also create employment for students and the youth.

 Speaking during the field day visit by students of the college to Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyoro (MUARIK) recently, Sorowen said Kabanyoro has large scale agricultural machines that will support to increase yields and harvests.

 Kabanyoro has machines like a combine harvester which can harvest 30 hectares of crop a day which is a big advantage, Makerere University has the skills, knowledge and equipment while the Police have land and market for the produced foods," he said. 

 "The Prisons can provide land and labour and if the three partner, then Government can benefit a lot from the arrangement," Sorowen added and challenged the science students to join the Police force after their graduation.

 "We recruit over 500 cadets every year in the Police force and scientists are mostly needed so when you join as a doctor or as an agriculturalist you will remain in your profession and serve the nation," he advised.  

 Prof. Samuel Kyamanywa the Principal of the College observed that the partnership is part of the innovations they are coming up with and that it can work with other stakeholders by devising practical means of solving community challenges.

 He said the innovations will stimulate job creation and strengthen extension of service delivery.

 He said students were being strategically placed in institutions for internship where some are later absorbed for employment after graduation.  

 Henry Kiyingi, a youth leader said the partnership will partly help the youth to be integrated into community policing activities as the Police will be guiding them on what to do.