CSOs urge government to invest in research for safer food systems 

By Edrisa Ssentongo

Civil society organisations in Uganda have called for a strong measures by the Uganda government to invest in National research institutions and universities to develop technologies, preservation, techniques and nutritional improvement.

This call was comes as a country grapples with growing food safety crisis. The event drew hundreds of Participants including farmers, researchers, Policy Makers and Citizens who marched through the city to raise awareness of the invisible but deadly threat of unsafe food in Uganda.

The CSOs included Food Rights Alliance, Seatin ,PELUM Uganda and others voiced their concerns over the alarming level of aflatoxin contamination, pesticide misuse and counterfeit agrochemicals affecting Uganda’s food supply and emphasized that food safety is a fundamental right and not a privilege and that the current state of Uganda’s food system presents serious public health and environmental risks.

While Speaking to the Press,the Executive Director of Food Rights Alliance Agnes Kirabo appealed for government funding of Local scientific solutions like Aflasafe a biological product developed to control aflotoxin contamination in crops.

Our researchers must be among the richest people because they are doing a commendable job but they don’t have money, Kirabo said.

Kirabo further criticised the practice of rerouting rejected maize back into the Ugandan market sometimes through animal feeds which eventually affect human health through milk, eggs and meat.

Dr. Moses Matovu a senior researcher at NARO explained that the food safety issues begin right from the garden and require both technical and environmental interventions. Unless we handle our food we’ll and test it using analytical facilities, it will be poison not food , Matovu added

The CSOs criticised the outdated food and drug act of 1964 and called for its review and establishment of Food and Agriculture Regulatory authority.