By Nelly Nelsons Otto
THE high prevalence of food poverty, often referred to as household food insecurity has been cited as one of the bottlenecks to the growth and development in Busoga whose population has generally remained poor amidst the abundant fertile land.
Senior Presidential Advisor on Busoga Affairs Florence Mutyabule Tibafana is now advocating for a mindset change among the population, who have rented out most of their land to sugar cane farmers.
Mutyabule urges the people to seek other ventures and leave out sugar cane growing to those with big acreages of land who can handle it on large scale basis.
She cites the multi billion shillings government-sponsored Parish Development Model (PDM) as the best vehicle that can deliver the people of Busoga to the promised land of wealth and prosperity.
“…this (PDM) is one of the best programmes that the NRM government has initiated and rolled out as an anti poverty tool that should be able to liberate us from poverty…” Mutyabule appealed.
Mutyabule is also concerned with the paradoxical situation that while sugar cane production continues to rise, poverty has persisted.
There have also been complaints that most sugar companies have always exploited the sugar cane farmers by offering poor prices, a charge the company bosses vehemently dismissed as unfounded.
“…food is national security, food is the economy, food is family stability and health, food is our strength and energy, it’s everything and it’s the reason Busoga is always rated as a poor region…”,she laments.
This is not the first time leaders including President Yoweri Museveni have expressed concern at the practice where farmers rent out land to sugar cane growers leaving them with nowhere to grow food crops.
At one time, President Museveni promised to pitch cam in Busoga and engage the leaders on how best to ‘liberate’ the residents who have signed legally-binding MoUs with powerful commercial farmers.
It’s worth noting that there are close to 10 sugar factories in Busoga sub region alone, making it the largest sugar cane growing region in the country.
The factories include Kakira Sugar Ltd,Mayuge Sugar, Allied Sugar(Kaliro Sugar) Ltd, Luzinga Sugar factory, Kamuli Sugar Factory,Bugiri Sugar and other smaller ones, all owned by foreign investors.
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Busoga has more than 1.2 million poor persons of which, 400 are living in food poverty, often referred to as household food insecurity implying they survive on one meal a day.
“…food is national security, food is the economy, food is family stability and health, food is our strength and energy, it’s everything and it’s the reason Busoga is always rated as a poor region…”,she laments.
UBOS is a semi autonomous government agency responsible for maintaenance, coordination, supervising and monitoring of the National Statistical Systems to ensure collection, analysis and dissemination of standardized statistical information.
Mutyabule also used the occasion to thank God for healing President Yoweri Museveni of COVID-19 pandemic which kept him in self isolation for more than a week.
“…we give glory to God for stretching His healing hand to our father, NRM chairman and the president of this beautiful country to continue guiding us to achieve prosperity…” ,Mutyabule said.
WHO IS FLORENCE MUTYABULE?
A mother, teacher by profession who served in many schools and retired from Buckley High School at CMS Iganga to join elective politics in Namutumba where she represented as the District Woman MP 2011-2016.
She is the wife of Busoga Kingdom Speaker George William Wanume Mutyabule who is also one of the celebrated lawyers in the region.
Mrs. Florence Mutyabule also served diligently as President Mothers Union Busoga Diocese for many years when Rt Rev Dr Michael Kyomya was the Bishop of the diocese which covered the entire traditional Busoga region.
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