Govt says partnerships will transform its food system
To further support the food systems transformation in Uganda, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is supporting the academia to develop a training manual to equip stakeholders, such as extension workers and seed breeders, on how they can speed up the food systems transformation agenda.
Processors of food like Psalms should also be tagged in the Food systems transformation process. (Courtesy)
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The Ugandan government is urging partnerships in the agriculture sector for the country to deliver a transformed food system.
Fredrick Walugembe from the Office of the Prime Minister said Tuesday that various challenges within the food system are making it hard for individual organisations to offer solutions.
He spoke of issues such as climate change, malnutrition and economic inequality.
Walugembe is the commissioner for strategic coordination and implementation of the food systems group in the OPM.
Speaking during a stakeholder meeting at Grand Global Hotel in Kampala, he said food systems are complex, involving everything from how food is grown, harvested, packaged, transported, all the way to consumption.
In addition to partnerships, he called for good governance coupled with inclusive, transparent and accountable processes, which should be aligned with the national policies and global commitments.
“Good governance is key to ensuring these systems are inclusive, transparent, and accountable, while aligning national policies with global commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Food Systems Transformation agenda,” said the commissioner.
To further support the food systems transformation in Uganda, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is supporting the academia to develop a training manual to equip stakeholders, such as extension workers and seed breeders, on how they can speed up the food systems transformation agenda.
Prof. Archileo Natigo from Makerere University’s Department of Food Technology & Nutrition reaffirmed the role of academia in food systems transformation.
He said this is being done through different training programmes that the academia has developed.
The training sessions target those in nutrition, processors of foods, those managing food losses and waste, regulatory bodies, among others.
On research, Kaaya said academia contributes to the generation of data to inform researchers and breeders. For example, to breed seed for both crop and livestock that is resistant to climate change.