Premier Nabanja tasks experts to find solutions to food insecurity, unemployment
"Youth have ideas but may be having challenges in accessing finance, getting mentors for hands-on training, space, among others, so that is how this fund is going to nurture youth ideas," Ariho said.
The Prime Minister of Uganda, Robinah Nabbanja. (File photo)
________________
The Prime Minister of Uganda, Robinah Nabbanja, has tasked food systems experts to explore solutions that will ensure that the country is food secure at the same time creating jobs for the youth and women.
She made the call on Thursday, October 22, while officiating at the opening ceremony of a two-day Private-Public Sector round table discussion on food security and Job creation for the youth. The Round table discussion is organised by the African Agriculture Incubation Network (AAIN).
The event that is taking place at the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) Namanve campus is running under the theme ‘Investing in Resilient Food Systems for Enterprise growth, decent work, sustainable livelihood and economic transformation'.
Dr. Albert Byamugisha, the Senior Technical Adviser and Head of the National SDG Secretariat Office of the Prime Minister, Prof. Alex Ariho Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of African Agribusiness Incubators Network (AAIN) and Prof. Charles Kwesiga Executive Director Uganda Industrial Research institute (UIRI) view products at Private Sector Food Security and Job creation summit at Uganda Industrial Research Hub in Namanve
Addressing the meeting from Namisindwa district via Zoom, Nabanja said that currently food production is being threatened with several challenges, including climate change, poor harvest practices, and limited markets, thereby aggravating unemployement.
On food insecurity, Prof. Florence Muranga from the Presidential Initiative on Bananas educated the participants on integrating climate-smart practices into their system for continued production of bananas.
One of the initiatives she shared is the circular economy method where every part of the banana is useful. For example, the bananas are being turned into flour for the bakeries, the fibre into hair pieces, and the banana peelings are being used for manure production, among others, Muranga explained.
"Youth have ideas but may be having challenges in accessing finance, getting mentors for hands-on training, space, among others, so that is how this fund is going to nurture youth ideas," Ariho said.
Richard Ekodeu, the Deputy CEO at AAIN, added that through the event, they want to mobilise and coordinate action among the private sector and government development partners to make Uganda’s food system resilient while creating sustainable employment.