Investment in agriculture will end hunger
Jun 24, 2009
The global hunger crisis poses a serious risk for world peace and security. Currently, hunger affects one out of six people worldwide. This, according to the UN, has been caused by lower incomes and increased unemployment that influence access to food, es
Harold Turinawe
The global hunger crisis poses a serious risk for world peace and security. Currently, hunger affects one out of six people worldwide. This, according to the UN, has been caused by lower incomes and increased unemployment that influence access to food, especially by the poor.
Uganda is not an exception. The country has witnessed dwindling agricultural production in the last two decades. The sector, which was formerly the backbone of Uganda’s economy, now comes behind the service sector as far as contribution to GDP is concerned, yet agriculture still employs more than 70% of our population.
A healthy agricultural sector is essential in overcoming the biting food crisis in poor countries and is a pre-requisite for economic growth.
Increased investment in agriculture and extension of development and economic assistance to smallholder farmers is the magic solution to the hunger crisis.
The Government has put in place frameworks and policies to provide a healthy agricultural sector. Frameworks such as the Plan for Modernisation of Agriculture, Prosperity for All and the National Development Plan. However, all these risk staying on paper if corresponding commitments in terms of resources are not put in place.
No amount of good legislation and paper work can save a hungry soul without an equivalent dedicated input of resources. Therefore, the above strategies require commitment from the Government and its development partners to prioritise and allocate the desired resources as the situation demands.
There is urgent need to translate our good policies into strategies aimed at boosting production and attracting farmers back to their farmlands.
Uganda must urgently commit resources to invest in applied research for production and technologies that respond to market demands, support private investment in agro-processing and offer special incentives to investors.
A boost in agriculture production will lead to improvement in rural infrastructure, provide rural employment, improve household incomes and contribute towards eradication of poverty and hunger.
The writer is a scientist at the
National Agricultural Research Organisation
The global hunger crisis poses a serious risk for world peace and security. Currently, hunger affects one out of six people worldwide. This, according to the UN, has been caused by lower incomes and increased unemployment that influence access to food, especially by the poor.
Uganda is not an exception. The country has witnessed dwindling agricultural production in the last two decades. The sector, which was formerly the backbone of Uganda’s economy, now comes behind the service sector as far as contribution to GDP is concerned, yet agriculture still employs more than 70% of our population.
A healthy agricultural sector is essential in overcoming the biting food crisis in poor countries and is a pre-requisite for economic growth.
Increased investment in agriculture and extension of development and economic assistance to smallholder farmers is the magic solution to the hunger crisis.
The Government has put in place frameworks and policies to provide a healthy agricultural sector. Frameworks such as the Plan for Modernisation of Agriculture, Prosperity for All and the National Development Plan. However, all these risk staying on paper if corresponding commitments in terms of resources are not put in place.
No amount of good legislation and paper work can save a hungry soul without an equivalent dedicated input of resources. Therefore, the above strategies require commitment from the Government and its development partners to prioritise and allocate the desired resources as the situation demands.
There is urgent need to translate our good policies into strategies aimed at boosting production and attracting farmers back to their farmlands.
Uganda must urgently commit resources to invest in applied research for production and technologies that respond to market demands, support private investment in agro-processing and offer special incentives to investors.
A boost in agriculture production will lead to improvement in rural infrastructure, provide rural employment, improve household incomes and contribute towards eradication of poverty and hunger.
The writer is a scientist at the
National Agricultural Research Organisation