Food Zoning, a Strategy to Fight Food Insecurity
Sep 07, 2011 (Menafn - New Vision/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --THE Government and other stakeholders have been advised to use food zoning as another strategy to address insecurity in the country.
"We should have a comprehensive plan for crops in different areas and look for a value chain of production. This includes bananas, cassava, and sorghum. We should also assign every district a land cruiser or sh200m to train advice, monitor, and supervise farmers on the production of that particular crop," Prof John Muyonga, the dean of the school of food Technology, Nutrition and Bio engineering at Makerere University has advised.
Muyonga was speaking during a tour of the College of Agriculture at Makerere University recently. Food zoning is the process of planning for food production by a locality allocating certain kinds of food structures in certain areas.
The deputy dean of the college of agriculture, Prof. Frank Kansiime said the college is to move away from the traditional way of teachingstudents to a practical way. "We want to move to the learner - centered strategy where we do not stop at assessing, but to let the students apply the knowledge for the betterment of our country. We want to encourage staff members to be innovative and collaborative". Kansiime said.
Prof Mondo Kagonyera, the Makerere University expressed concern over the Government involvement of academicians in the fight against food insecurity.
"My reason for coming here is because of sugar crisis. I was thinking about how countries like India accommodate needs like sugar. Many Indians make sugar at home. So, if our people knew how to make sugar, we would not be worried," Kagonyera said.
He noted that food insecurity in Africa and the world over is crucial issue and needs all the knowledge from people who have acquired agricultural skills and economics.
"I wonder why university academicians who have the proper knowledge in agriculture and economics are not brought on board. I decided to visit you so that we agree where you can fit in addressing the issue of food insecurity," he explained.
Last month, Uganda's inflation rose to over 18% amidst food crises that saw the cost of sugar sky rocket to sh7,000 in some parts of the country. The country is currently experiencing a shortage in electricity supply leaving urban centres in darkness most of the time
Achileo Kaaya, the head of department Food and Nutrition unveiled plans to introduce distance learning and new programmes in nutrition in an effort to improve agricultural productivity in the country.
"We want to introduce a full departments of human nutrition, water and irrigation at masters and PhD levels as another long term strategy to improve agriculture," Kaaya said.
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