Govt launches food security project
Apr 06, 2011
THE Government has launched a $30m (about sh72b) project to promote food security through sustainable cassava production in the country.
By PASCAL KWESIGA
THE Government has launched a $30m (about sh72b) project to promote food security through sustainable cassava production in the country.
The five-year project is also aimed at improving people’s incomes and promoting commercial farming.
It will be implemented by the National Agricultural Research Organisation through the agriculture ministry. Funded through a World Bank loan, the project will also be implemented under the eastern African agricultural productivity programme.
Under the programme, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia have received $30m each to promote cassava, dairy farming, rice and wheat growing on a commercial scale.
Uganda chose cassava as her priority crop because it boosts food security, is used as animal feed and has good quality starch for industrial use.
Cassava is also a staple crop for over 200 million people and is the second most important crop in Africa after maize.
The cassava centre of excellence, one of the components of the project, was recently launched by agriculture minister Hope Mwesigye at the national crops resources research institute at Namulonge in Kampala.
Mwesigye said the project comes a time when global food stocks are falling and food prices are increasing hence the need to strengthen and expand agricultural production.
The project coordinator, George Lukwago, said Uganda would lead research in cassava through the regional centre of excellence.
He added that Uganda would also participate in adaptive research on wheat and rice whose centres of excellence are in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya.
THE Government has launched a $30m (about sh72b) project to promote food security through sustainable cassava production in the country.
The five-year project is also aimed at improving people’s incomes and promoting commercial farming.
It will be implemented by the National Agricultural Research Organisation through the agriculture ministry. Funded through a World Bank loan, the project will also be implemented under the eastern African agricultural productivity programme.
Under the programme, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia have received $30m each to promote cassava, dairy farming, rice and wheat growing on a commercial scale.
Uganda chose cassava as her priority crop because it boosts food security, is used as animal feed and has good quality starch for industrial use.
Cassava is also a staple crop for over 200 million people and is the second most important crop in Africa after maize.
The cassava centre of excellence, one of the components of the project, was recently launched by agriculture minister Hope Mwesigye at the national crops resources research institute at Namulonge in Kampala.
Mwesigye said the project comes a time when global food stocks are falling and food prices are increasing hence the need to strengthen and expand agricultural production.
The project coordinator, George Lukwago, said Uganda would lead research in cassava through the regional centre of excellence.
He added that Uganda would also participate in adaptive research on wheat and rice whose centres of excellence are in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya.