Youth Challenged to Promote Food Security

MASINDI – Youth leaders in Bunyoro sub-region have called upon their fellow youths to participate in the fight against food insecurity.

They made the call on Wednesday during a moot parliament for youth leaders in the region which was organised by Recreation for Development and Peace (RDP) Uganda, a youth-based organization at Biija hotel in Masindi town.

The youths are slated to celebrate  International Youths’ Day on August 12, 2021 under the theme: Transforming food systems; Youths’ innovation for human and planetary health.

This year’s international youth day theme highlights the fact that, the success of such a global effort will not be achieved without meaningful participation of the people.

In his presentation to the moot parliament, Joseph Rusenjule, a youth leader from Budongo sub- county said, youths have roles to play in promoting food security, adding that the youths need to engage themselves in the agricultural sector.

“This includes the youths being part and partial of all processes needed in the production of food so that they can physically and positively contribute towards food production,” he said.

Rusenjule also noted that youth’s adaptation to value addition mechanism is critical noting that this will help in preserving perishable items such as vegetables, fruits so that their life span is prolonged.

“The youths also need to respond to better farming systems such as use of agro-inputs like manure, fertilizers such that when used, eases multiple food production despite challenges of drought and the climatic change,” he explained.

He also advised the youth in urban areas to focus on having life skills based on sustainable agriculture projects such as the court yard system.

“This can be done by planting in sacks, old clothes and tins,” he explained.

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Jackson Mukasa, a youth leader from Pakanyi sub-county said, the youth are so much willing to participate in the promotion of food security, adding that there are factors curtailing them to participate in agriculture.

“For instance, most of us have been hit by this prolonged dry spell. We have made losses but I have not seen the government coming to help us. It’s high time the government thought of supporting farmers with small irrigation systems. The government should also extend piped water to rural areas. I am sure from this point we can improvise in case there’s a dry spell,” appealed Mukasa.

Mukasa also said that the issue of price instabilities is also hindering many youth from participating in the sector.

“I am appealing to the government to look into the issues of prices. This will encourage more youth to join the sector,” he said.

He also asked the government to look into the issue of subsidising on most of the agricultural materials.

Godfrey Bahemuka, the Masindi district, Community Development Officer (CDO), advised the youth to work on the issue of mindset change if they’re to succeed.

“Many youth have a negative attitude towards agriculture and other government programs like the Youth Livelihood Program (YLP), Uganda Women Entrepreneurship (UWEP), Emyooga among other programs. You have not yet embraced these programs and yet they’re there to help you,” Bahemuka said.

He also advised the youth to involve themselves in saving groups and to always have a vision for what they want.

“The vision will help you not to mismanage the money saved,” he advised.

Cosmas Byaruhanga, the Masindi district LCV Chairperson advised the youth to start investing early and to invest in long term investments.

“Stop being dependants. When you’re investing, start small you will succeed,” he advised.

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