The food insecurity situation is getting worse - Government
What you need to know:
- Mr Vincent Ssempijja, said that another 26 percent of the population is on the brink of falling into the fast spreading hunger, arising out of the drought that has hit the country, slowing down food and livestock production.
- In order to stem the crisis, Mr Ssempijja, revealed that government will deliver food to the affected areas in the coming three months.
KAMPALA: The population in Uganda that needs food relief has increased from 1.3m to 1.5m, the Minister of agriculture has said.
Mr Vincent Ssempijja, said that another 26 percent of the population is on the brink of falling into the fast spreading hunger, arising out of the drought that has hit the country, slowing down food and livestock production.
“The 26 percent of the population is facing stressful food insecurity that has minimized quality food consumption,” Mr Ssempijja said.
He noted that central Uganda tops the list of the regions hardest hit with over 580,000people, followed closely by the northern and eastern part of the country.
In order to stem the crisis, Mr Ssempijja, revealed that government will deliver food to the affected areas in the coming three months.
“Shs52bn was not in the budget of the 2016/2017 financial year. This money has been mobilized by government to handle the issue of relief,” the minister revealed.
Images of dried up plantations and malnourished children have been common in the media in the recent months pointing to the rising number of people suffering from hunger.
Last year, 11 people were reported dead in the Northern district of Kaabong in Karamoja sub-region due to hunger.
A Report on the effect of climate change authored in 2015 and handed to government by experts warned that drought and hunger would hit most parts of the country but its suggestions were largely ignored.
