KAMAPALA, October 26, 2023 – Cabinet has approved a proposal to establish a Food and Agricultural Authority that will be mandated to handle food-related matters, according to the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze.
The minister said that the authority is the long-awaited answer for food security and food safety, as it will boost the existing efforts to make the country food secure.
“The Authority will beef up the National Drugs Authority [NDA]and National Bureau of Standards [UNBS] in ensuring that we are food secure,” said Tumwebaze.
The minister made the pronouncement while presenting a statement on the World Food Day, during the plenary sitting on Wednesday. The World Food Day was commemorated under the theme: Water is life, water is food, leave no one behind on October 16, 2023.
Tumbwebaze told legislators of the new crop varieties developed by scientists at the National Agricultural Research Organisation [NARO], all focused on boosting food production.
“There are two new maize varieties; Naromaize 63 PVA is an orange maize breed rich in Vitamin A and Naromaize 64STR with inherent characteristics for striga resistance. The two sweet potatoes varieties have orange flesh rich in vitamin A and are suitable for food and confectionary industries,” Tumwebaze said.
He also talked of a new rice variety adaptable to low lands and a pasture variety rich in proteins, and less costly when compared to soybeans that have been the dominant animal feeds.
He lauded NARO for what he termed as scientific milestones and invited Parliament for a tour to NARO laboratories, to which Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa agreed.
“Next week I will lead a team comprising of the chairpersons for Agriculture Committee, Natural Resources Committee, Budget Committee and other experts in agriculture to visit NARO,” said Tayebwa while chairing the sitting on Wednesday.
Tayebwa urged Tumwebaze to watch over the importation of pesticides banned from use in the western countries, citing cancer among the effects registered in their use.
“This issue was brought to my attention during a meeting with European Union, that there are pesticides which are banned in EU but are allowed to be exported to third world countries. They are manufactured in EU but are banned because they are bad, the cause cancers and the like,” said Tayebwa.
The Vice President, Jessica Alupo, emphasised the need for the ministry to watch over the use of pesticides which she said were responsible for a number of diseases.
“We need an update on the efforts in place to control the acaricides, because when we drink milk or eat meat they should not be contaminated. This is important because three quarters of our country depend on livestock,” said Alupo.
Alupo asked Tumwebaze to update the nation on the manufacture of anti-tick vaccine which she said has been budgeted for over the years.
MPs asked the minister to work out a sustainable plan on water storage and water safety, saying they have had to shoulder the burden for years.
Rakai District Woman Representative, Juliet Kinyamatama asked for a comprehensive policy on water supply and warned that failure for its provision in the Parish Development Model [PDM] will affect food security.
“We are giving people money but when drought comes we will see no more of the money we invested because we are not providing water. MPs are instead pumping money to dig dams in our constituencies,” Kinyamatama said.
Elsewhere, Kenya, Uganda’s neighbour and a Partner State in the East African Community [EAC] already runs Agriculture and Food Authority [AFA], which substituted the earlier regulatory agencies such as; Kenya Coconut Development Authority, Coffee Board of Kenya, Cotton Development Authority, Horticultural Crops Development Authority; Kenya Sisal Board, Kenya Sugar Board, and Pyrethrum Board of Kenya.
However, AFA runs directorates/departments such as: Sugar Directorate; Coffee Directorate; Fibre Crops Directorate; Horticultural Crops Directorate; Food Directorate;Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate; Miraa, Pyrethrum and other Industrial Crops Directorate; and Corporate Services Directorate.
Other countries across the world have established food authorities such as Agriculture and Food Development Authority [Ireland], Ab Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, and Bahamas Agriculture Food Safety Authority, among others.
Minister Tumwebaze did not tell the MPs whether the Food and Agriculture Authority in Uganda will phase out some of the regulatory agencies in the agriculture sector like it has happened in Kenya and elsewhere.
Animal Feeds Bill 2023 introduced
Meanwhile Minister Tumwebaze on Wednesday also introduced the Animal Feeds Bill 2023 during the plenary sitting of the House.
The Bill seeks to provide legislative framework for the operationalisation of the animal feeds policy by regulating the production, importation, exportation and marking of animal feeds and by establishing the animal feeds committee to regulate the production, importation, exportation and marking of animal feeds.
“Inadequate animal nutrition was identified as one of the factors that limit Uganda’s production of livestock products,” Tumwebaze said, adding that animal feeds account for 70 percent of the production costs and therefore have a significant effect on production costs and the profits.
The Bill also provides for the application for the registration of premises and the circumstances under which a certificate of registration may be suspended or revoked.
Similarly, the Bill will establish the offices of animal feeds inspectors and animal feeds analysts. The animal feeds inspector shall inspect premises and seize any animal feeds that is produced contrary to the requirements of the Act.
Furthermore, will give the Minister powers to make regulations, under the Act to provide for the procedures and forms to be used, for the application for registration of premises and licences for the, production, storage, transportation, or sale of animal feeds and for the fees for the paid under the Act.
According to the minister, productivity of livestock in Uganda is low due to the prevalence of animal diseases, inadequate nutrition for the animals, scarcity of water in the semi-arid areas, lack of facilities for the storage and processing of animal feeds, the lack of laboratory facilities and the lack of information, knowledge and skills on animal feeds production amongst other factors.
Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, referred the Bill to the Committee on Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries for consideration.
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