Diminishing presence of granaries, a recipe for food insecurity in Teso

SOROTI-Declining presence of granaries [Edula in Ateso] has exposed Teso Sub-region to chronicle food insecurity, theCooperator can say.

Previously known as Teso district, the sub-region in eastern Uganda comprises 10 districts of Amuria, Bukedea, Kaberamaido, Katakwi, Ngora, Serere, Soroti, Kalaki, Kapelebyong and Kumi.

Between the 1960s and 1970s, Teso Sub-region used to be a food basket for Uganda because it took the matter of food security very seriously.

During this, time granaries were one of the key trademarks in households of rural Teso just like elsewhere in Uganda after the British colonialists introduced the food storage facilities.

They served two main purposes; acting as a food reservoir for families for the period between planting, and harvesting, and serving as a store for seeds for the next planting season.

They were used for storage of dried indigenous foodstuffs like emaido [groundnuts] emudunga [maize], imare [cowpeas], amukeke [sliced and tried potatoes], akima [finger millet], imomwa [sorghum], Akobokok [cucumbers] and emwoogo [dried cassava chips].

Papyrus Imodot, the founder of Iteso Cultural Union [ICU] told theCooperator that granaries were usually constructed using a combination of mud, clay, cow dung, and flexible stems from some plants.

He said that it was culturally unacceptable for a homestead to be without granaries.

Across Teso, there were strong proverbs attached to granaries such as “When a child has eaten to its fill, it will urge the mother to burn the granary down and the Tswana proverb, “famine hides under the granary”. Such proverbs were used to emphasise the importance of a granary in a home.

“Most families in Teso normally used to have two granaries to store different types of produce but polygamous families could have up to six,” Imodot said.

This to him, enabled families to have enough food supply throughout the year, even during long dry spells.

According to Imodot, the granaries also acted as seed banks meaning locals were guaranteed seeds to plant in the next planting season.

“Back then, clan chiefs would inspect homes to confirm, among other things, if they had a granary. Those without Edula were usually punished,” Charles Ojican,80, from Oriau “B” village in Magoro Sub-county, Katakwi district reminisces.

He pointed out that the diminishing presence of granaries in many households is being seen as a recipe for food insecurity in Teso Sub-region.

Many homes no longer have granaries, which were considered a post-harvest method used to promote food security, especially during cases of drought in rural areas.

Sylver Obetel, a resident of Toroma Sub-county in Katakwi district who owns two granaries explained that the facilities were seen as a symbol of strength and wealth in the community.

What happened?

Mary Ikwaro,78, hailing from Magoro Sub-county said granaries started disappearing from Teso life during years of insurgency in the late 1980s.

According to her, the first was the rebellion by the Uganda People’s Army [UPA] and other rebel groups that destabilized the region, forcing people to flee their homes and the land.

“Once rebels figured out that some people were using them as hiding places, they began raiding homes, which had granaries,” explained Ikwaro.

Ikwaro said that due to continued rebel raids on homes with granaries Teso began its slow but steady descent into the current food crisis decades ago.

George William Opus of Oodot village in Palam Sub-county said that no one could go to the garden during the war; so, a lot of land was idle and they were depending on relief from government.

The second catastrophe was the mosaic disease, which destroyed acres and acres of cassava, which was the sub-region’s staple food.

James Elungat the Katakwi district agricultural officer cited theft as another reason why Teso farmers abandoned granaries.

“Basically what made granaries to disappear was theft. When you keep food in the granary, there is no security. We did not use padlocks so anybody could jump in and carry away the storage,” said Elungat.

Other reasons such as arsonists setting granaries ablaze in the night forced farmers to share rooms with their season’s harvest. On the other hand, because of little room, many farmers ended up selling their harvest to buy livestock.

Joyce Asekenye, the former chairperson ICU Kumi district, said that the current generation of farmers does not know how to construct the granaries.

“The days when the elderly people in the communities taught the young how to construct granaries are long gone. Even the old men who used to know how to make granaries have since died. So things have become very difficult,” he stated.

Asekenye added that the lack of materials due to environmental factors has also played a part in the disappearance of granaries in Teso Sub-region.

“Forests where craftsmen used to find materials for making granaries have all been destroyed, said Asekenye.

How disappearing granaries are affecting food security

The absence of granaries is currently affecting the food security in the region, as farmers are no longer able to store their harvest for future use.

Simon Okurut, an elder from Serere district told the Cooperator that due to lack of proper storage for crop harvest, many farmers have resorted to growing crops, which they can either sell or consume straight from the garden like sweet potatoes and beans.

According to him, this has brought about a constant shortage of food in communities.

“In the days of granaries, there was no famine because food of all varieties including cereals and vegetables, and greens were dried and stored to be eaten during long dry spells and as future seeds. Nowadays we are in trouble with famine and malnutrition because we have abandoned such,” Okurut noted.

In recent years there has been a crisis brought about by the disappearance of granaries in Teso.

This has seen a notable decline in the production of indigenous crops largely due to lack of seeds.

Mary Adeke, of Arapai Sub-county in Soroti district, said it has become increasingly difficult for her to provide two meals for her family of five.

She however regretted why she did not construct a granary to store food.
Dr. Emmanuel Ebonyu, a nutritionist at Teso Safe Motherhood Hospital, said over the years, there has been a rise in cases of malnutrition due to shortage of traditional foods.

According to him, malnutrition has become common because food production and storage have been affected, with people no longer eating enough food or the right food.

Nutritional data is difficult to find in Teso Sub-region but according to UNICEF, over 561,000 children lose their lives every year in Uganda due to malnutrition.

What can be done to restore granaries?

Anna Sophia Asingo, the project coordinator Community Intergrated Development Initiative [CIDI] wants district councils to pass a by-law, making it compulsory for all households to have food granaries.

She said that this would improve food security for households and the nation at large.

“Back then, clan chiefs would inspect homes to confirm, among other things, if they had a granary. Those without Edula were usually punished,” said Asingo.

Meanwhile, George William Aloch an elder from Kapelebyong district pointed out schools need to restore art and crafts lessons where learners are taught hands-on skills.

Beyond learning how to make granaries learners, Aloch said learners should also be taught the dignity of self-sufficiency created by the granary.

https://thecooperator.news/experts-root-for-irrigation-to-boost-food-security/

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