Uganda’s food security hinges on a comprehensive food policy

A lush land bathed in sunshine, where robust crops should be flourishing, but instead, pockets of malnutrition persist.

That is the paradoxical reality of Uganda, a country blessed with fertile soils but still grappling with the ghost of food insecurity. 

According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (Fao), a staggering 41 percent of Ugandans are undernourished. That implies nearly half the population is not getting enough to eat! 

On one hand, there is hunger and malnutrition, but on the other, there’s obesity and diet-related diseases.

It is a cruel irony that in a land that could produce a rich variety of foods, people are either starving or suffering from the consequences of poor nutrition.

This is a conundrum that can only be solved through a comprehensive food policy.  Josephine Luyimbaazi, the Country Coordinator of the Participatory Ecological Land Use Management Uganda (PELUM) Uganda, emphasised the urgent need for a comprehensive National Food Policy during a discussion at Golf Course Hotel.

The dialogue aimed to address emerging issues and rally MPs and selected government ministries for policy harmonisation.

Food policies in Uganda
We have all heard the phrase, “you are what you eat.” But in Uganda, what you eat is often determined by what is available, and sadly, it is not always healthy or nutritious. 

The current food policies in Uganda are fragmented. They often overlook the complex interplay between food production, consumption, and nutritional needs. 

Uganda has 21 food-related laws and 14 additional policies, as discovered by researcher Dr Marius F. Murongo. The complexity of these regulations could benefit from simplification.

“While policy makers have generally been successful in articulating sustainable agriculture as an anchorage for food and nutrition in policy, plans, strategies and frameworks, the outcomes and impact from the implementation of these policies and plans do not match the elaboration in policy,” Dr Murongo says.

A comprehensive food policy is concerned about understanding the food systems and creating policies that ensure everyone has access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally appropriate foods.

Hand-to-mouth existence 
Many Ugandans live a hand-to-mouth existence, with their daily bread depending entirely on the season’s harvest. A poor season can spell disaster, pushing families into a spiralling cycle of debt, poverty, and food insecurity.

The precarious situation is caused by a number of factors ranging from climate change, gender inequality, and rapid population growth.

Climate Change 
The changing climate has resulted in atypical weather patterns that significantly impact agricultural productivity, posing challenges for food production. 

These abnormal conditions encompass amplified rainfall, floods, droughts, erratic winds, pest outbreaks, and fluctuating temperatures, creating obstacles for individuals in cultivating crops and raising livestock, hindering their ability to secure sufficient sustenance for their families.

More than 60 percent of households in Uganda rely on rain-fed subsistence farming as the primary source of their food.

However, the unpredictable nature of climate and rainfall patterns has escalated people’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change.

While the specific events have varied across different regions, a span from 2009 to 2019 witnessed districts such as Kitgum, Agago, Oyam, Dokolo, Napak, Lira, and Amolatar experiencing years characterised by abnormal droughts, excessive rainfall, and devastating floods.

Population pressure 
As the population of Uganda has rapidly grown, citizens throughout the nation have struggled more with food insecurity.  

With a population growth rate of 3 to 4 percent per year, Uganda is currently expanding yearly by 1 million people. 

The main driver behind the substantial growth is the fertility rate among Ugandan women, which was the highest in the world for 40 years.

In 2019, the World Bank reported Uganda’s fertility rate was 4.8 births per woman, ranking at number 9 in the world. 

The rapid population growth in Uganda exacerbates pre-existent food insecurity because the country’s economy and existing infrastructure are not stable enough to adequately support so many people.

Poverty
Food insecurity is closely intertwined with persistent poverty and economic instability.

According to a 2017 survey, food and non-alcoholic beverages accounted for 37.8 and 50.8 percent of monthly expenses for urban and rural households, respectively.

Furthermore, the cost of maintaining a nutritionally adequate diet has been increasing, with an annual growth rate ranging from 3.0 to 9.2 percent between 2000 and 2011.

It is likely that this upward trend has continued. In recent years, the average cost of purchased food has consistently exceeded the poverty line, meaning that impoverished families struggle to afford basic sustenance.

When a significant portion of limited income, time, and energy is dedicated to securing food, escaping the cycle of poverty and achieving financial stability becomes an arduous task for families.

This situation is exacerbated when specific regions in Uganda face food shortages due to severe weather conditions and substantial crop failures.

In the past, such shortages occurred in 2008 and 2011, leading to increased food prices and instances of food theft from households and storage facilities.

Why comprehensive food policy
Food is a right. In Uganda, it can be a reality for its citizens enjoys the right to healthy, affordable, and sustainable food but only if a comprehensive food policy is put in place. 

A food policy is not just about what we eat, it’s about the entire food chain: from farm to fork, from policy to plate.

According to Luyimbaazi, a comprehensive food policy can unlock untapped agricultural potential. It could transform Uganda into a major food powerhouse.

“Why don’t we eat the food we produce? Beyond nourishing its own citizens, this strategic approach has the capacity to propel Uganda to the forefront,” Luyimbaazi says.

Luyimbaazi says a comprehensive food policy is not just about increasing food production, but sustainable utilisation of resources, promotion of healthy eating habits, and ensuring equitable food distribution.

It is a holistic approach to food security that transcends farming practices to tackle root causes of food insecurity such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. 

Nutrition
With a comprehensive food policy, Uganda could ensure that every child, irrespective of their socio-economic background, has access to healthy, nutritious food.

A robust food policy could encourage sustainable farming practices. Its wealth of crops could be harnessed more effectively, with food surplus managed efficiently. 

Right now, 29 percent of Ugandan children suffer from chronic malnutrition. With a comprehensive food policy, this narrative can be changed.

Dr Timothy Batuwa Busala, the shadow minister for health and also Jinja west MP says a nutritious meals should not be a privilege, but a right - a basic tenet of human dignity. 

Obstacles to the food policy
Implementing a comprehensive food policy in Uganda faces numerous challenges.

Historically, Uganda has not allocated sufficient budgetary resources for nutrition. Between 2012 and 2015, for instance, government spending was merely 1 percent of the national level government budget. Nutrition funding made up 5 percent of the total development assistance to Uganda from external development partners.

While the endorsement of the new nutrition plan, Uganda Nutrition Action Plan II, signals a commitment to addressing all forms of malnutrition, the issue goes beyond funding.  Nutrition policies span multiple ministries, making oversight challenging.

Additionally, the absence of clear indicators to guide these ministries further hampers accountability.

Learning from the best 
Kenya, Uganda’s neighbour to the east, offers a compelling example of the impact of a robust food policy. 

The Kenya National Food Policy, implemented with the aim of achieving food security, has substantially improved the quality of Kenyan agriculture. The policy has enhanced food productivity, reduced food prices, and increased farmer’s income, painting a promising picture for the future of Kenyan agriculture. 

Dr Murongo states that a comprehensive food policy must also clearly define land tenure systems “so that the land is not all converted to quick money residential plot subdivisions due to hereditary systems”.

Brazil’s ‘Zero Hunger’ programme launched in 2003, which focused on providing a safety net for the poor, enhancing smallholder farming, and ensuring access to nutritious food.

Their comprehensive food policy, combined with strong political will, resulted in Brazil meeting the Millennium Development Goal of halving extreme poverty and hunger well before 2015.

“A desired policy must be comprehensive, addressing hunger as not merely a problem of food production, but one of access, affordability, and nutrition,” Luyimbaazi adds.

According to Hakim Baliraine, the chairman of Eastern and Southern Africa Small-scale Farmers’ Forum (ESAFF) Uganda, these success stories are not just inspiring, but they also provide a roadmap for Uganda. 

“In many ways, a comprehensive food policy is a conduit to economic prosperity for Uganda. It’s high time we started viewing food policy as more than just a means to fill our bellies but as a vital key in unlocking Uganda’s economic potential,” Baliraine says.

Food waste
Due to lack of proper storage facilities and efficient transport systems, many crops often go to waste.

On the other end of the spectrum, there is a significant portion of the population grappling with food insecurity.

 A comprehensive food policy could be the lifesaver that tips the balance. 

This policy would ensure the surplus food from farmers is adequately stored and effectively distributed to areas in need.  Every grain of food that goes to waste is a missed opportunity to feed a hungry mouth.

“A comprehensive food policy is not merely a response to the urgent cry of hunger, but an investment in a future. With a comprehensive food policy, we can shift from a narrative of scarcity to one of plenty,” Benon Musaasizi, a nutritionist, says.

With a robust food policy, small-scale farmers would have access to quality seeds, modern farming techniques, and fair market prices.

They could produce more, earn more, and contribute significantly to Uganda’s food security. Their farms, no matter how small, could become green gold mines.
 
Awareness 
In the context of food policy, awareness is the key to unlocking that power. Public awareness campaigns can demystify complex concepts related to food security, nutrition, and agriculture, helping Ugandans make informed decisions about their food choices. 

According to Dr Batuwa, “Well-run media campaigns are a key driver of the success of white-collar restaurants. Local service providers could learn from this.”

He says consumer choices, preferences, and ultimately in promoting local food plays an indispensable role.

Education about the availability of local foods, he says, is paramount. It should recognise the value of these foods in terms of their nutritional benefits, cultural significance, and economic impact.

This can be achieved through educational efforts in schools, community programmes, and media campaigns.

Figures 
According to UNICEF, more than 10 million Ugandans suffer from chronic undernourishment. More than one third of all young children – 2.4 million – are stunted.