First Lady hands over maize flour to Karamoja schools

Apr 26, 2016

The 403 are an increase from the 355 tonnes in the first phase

A total of 403 metric tonnes of maize flour has been handed over to Primary Schools in Karamoja under the School Feeding Programme implemented by the Karamoja Affairs Ministry in Office of the Prime Minister in partnership with Uganda Prison Service and the UN World Food Programme.

This maize flour was produced from 400 acres planted at Namalu Prisons farm in the second round of the programme initiated by First Lady Janet Museveni last financial year 2014/2015 to help feed the Karimojong children while at school.

This is an increase from the 355 metric tonnes produced and handed over in the first phase from the 300 acres which were planted. The maize flour contribution through this partnership will meet up to 11% of the school feeding requirement in Karamoja.

The First Lady and Minister for Karamoja Affairs handed over the maize flour and launched the distribution of this food to schools all over Karamoja on Friday at Namalu Prison Farm in Nakapiripirit District.

She handed it over to teachers and pupils from Amerer, Namalu, St Mary and Kaiku Primary Schools in Nakapiripirit District who represented other schools in the region.

While addressing the people who gathered to witness the food hand over, Museveni said it gives her much pride to see the collaboration between her Ministry, Uganda Prison Service and WFP because it provides a signal to show that a deliberate Government collaboration with its partners and even Local Governments can quickly find real lasting solutions to some of the long standing challenges.

"Our prayer is to relieve the World Food Programme from feeding the schools in Karamoja. If Namalu Prison farm continues to increase the acreage, I believe we can actually grow sufficient food to feed all the schools in Karamoja" she stated.

She said that though there are many things that we cannot do for ourselves as a nation and as many countries of Africa, failing to feed ourselves and our children is a shame that we must ensure to do away with soonest.

Museveni added that with the fertility and beauty of the land in Karamoja, one wonders why people have to buy food from elsewhere.

"Karamoja  alone can feed the whole of Uganda and more, but before we get there lets ensure that we at least feed the Karamoja schools and also train farmers to empower them feed themselves", she said, adding that in this blessed land of Uganda we cannot forgive ourselves if we let our children perform poorly and drop out of school because of not being well fed.

"We need to get the word Akolo out of the Karimojong language" she urged.

She welcomed the offer by WFP to partner with Government and start encouraging and supporting parents and communities to be more involved in feeding their children.

Museveni thanked the Namalu Prison farm for the honourable job they are doing to contribute to feeding the children and WFP for coming alongside her Ministry and supporting it to implement this programme.

"That is what we are supposed to do together, work together with our partners to ensure that we bridge the gaps and make our world a better place to live", she added.

In his remarks WFP Resident Representative Ross Smith said in addition to supporting the post-harvest management of the maize and its distribution to the schools, they would like to develop links between school feeding and local agricultural production where possible and also support parents and communities to be more involved in feeding their children under theirAgriculture and Market Support (AMS) and school meals programme (SMP)

Presently WFP meals reach all 284 schools in Karamoja, supporting over 124,000 children aged between 6-17 years daily. 

WFP also exhibited small holder storage silos of between 500kgs and 1,000kgs of grain which they are currently introducing to farmers across Karamoja to improve household food storage. They also promised to construct a 200 metric tonne storage facility in partnership with Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) in Iriri Napak District. 

The Commissioner General Uganda Prison Service Dr. Johnson Byabashaija promised to continue with the collaboration, increase acreage of production and productivity. 

He said Namalu Prisons was also technically supporting 30 families in its neighbourhood and thanked the officer in charge Godfrey Obbo and his staff for the hard and noble work they have exhibited in endeavouring to transform the lives of pupils of Karamoja. 

The LCV Chairman for Nakapiripirit John Lorot among others also addressed the gathering.

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