Govt approves sh42b for El Nino impact
Oct 19, 2009
THE cabinet has approved sh42b to address the effects of the El Nino rains expected to last until December.
By Catherine Bekunda
and Mary Karugaba
THE cabinet has approved sh42b to address the effects of the El Nino rains expected to last until December.
Disaster preparedness minister Tarsis Kabwegyere made the remarks recently while addressing the parliamentally committee on agriculture.
The committee was assessing how the famine situation in Teso was managed. The committee noted that food supplies in villages was low, as most homesteads testified that their rations could not last more than one day.
The minister also explained that the six districts they visited lacked sufficient supplies from the Government and donors to overcome the famine.
Commenting on the same issue, the deputy speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, appealed to the Government to pass bylaws making it mandatory for homesteads to have granaries for food storage.
The committee reported that 12 people died in Amuria district, 14 in Morutema village in Acowa sub-county and 13 fell sick after eating poisonous cassava in Kobuin.
The MPs also said famine had affected school-going children, with many dropping out due to lack of adequate food at home and at school.
MPs Francis Epetait (FDC) and Alice Alaso (FDC) asked the Government to come up with a policy on school feeding to counter the drop-out rates.
Alaso also appealed to the Government to reinstitute food storage centres in different regions.
Mary Mugyenyi (NRM) asked the Government to fulfil the Maputo Agreement in which African countries pledged to dedicate 10% of their national budgets to agriculture.
“As long as we have no policy restricting selling of food, our people will continue to sell everything and retain nothing for themselves,†said Zaake Kibedi (NRM).
Nathan Byanyima (NRM) said the food shortage was due to abandoning the agriculture sector to women.
Agriculture state minister Henry Bagire told the MPs that a food and nutrition Bill would be tabled in Parliament to address all their issues.
In June 2009, the Parliament approved sh10b as supplementary budget for relief food to alleviate shortages in 52 districts.
and Mary Karugaba
THE cabinet has approved sh42b to address the effects of the El Nino rains expected to last until December.
Disaster preparedness minister Tarsis Kabwegyere made the remarks recently while addressing the parliamentally committee on agriculture.
The committee was assessing how the famine situation in Teso was managed. The committee noted that food supplies in villages was low, as most homesteads testified that their rations could not last more than one day.
The minister also explained that the six districts they visited lacked sufficient supplies from the Government and donors to overcome the famine.
Commenting on the same issue, the deputy speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, appealed to the Government to pass bylaws making it mandatory for homesteads to have granaries for food storage.
The committee reported that 12 people died in Amuria district, 14 in Morutema village in Acowa sub-county and 13 fell sick after eating poisonous cassava in Kobuin.
The MPs also said famine had affected school-going children, with many dropping out due to lack of adequate food at home and at school.
MPs Francis Epetait (FDC) and Alice Alaso (FDC) asked the Government to come up with a policy on school feeding to counter the drop-out rates.
Alaso also appealed to the Government to reinstitute food storage centres in different regions.
Mary Mugyenyi (NRM) asked the Government to fulfil the Maputo Agreement in which African countries pledged to dedicate 10% of their national budgets to agriculture.
“As long as we have no policy restricting selling of food, our people will continue to sell everything and retain nothing for themselves,†said Zaake Kibedi (NRM).
Nathan Byanyima (NRM) said the food shortage was due to abandoning the agriculture sector to women.
Agriculture state minister Henry Bagire told the MPs that a food and nutrition Bill would be tabled in Parliament to address all their issues.
In June 2009, the Parliament approved sh10b as supplementary budget for relief food to alleviate shortages in 52 districts.