By Silvia Nyambura
Between the year 2010 and 2050, the global demand for food is expected to increase by 60 percent. In Sub Sahara Africa alone, the demand for food is recorded at 178 percent compared to India’s 89 percent and China’s 31 percent. Currently, Africa spends more than USD 40 billion every year on food imports, if that money was invested in production instead, the continent would be food independent. The question in the region therefore remains can we increase agricultural productivity sustainably to meet the food demand challenge?
In Uganda, 80 percent of the population is engaged in agriculture and related industries with food productivity increasing by 2.65 percent amidst a rapidly growing population at 3.5 percent. Some of the biggest challenges facing the sector include declining soil fertility and lack of policies to ensure accessibility to affordable farm inputs.
According to the Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture at the African Union (AU) Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, it is commendable that Uganda has formulated a credible Agriculture Sector Development Strategy and Investment Plan. This plan which is already under implementation aims at advancing the agricultural transformation agenda.
“Uganda is one of the AU member states to have signed the Country Compact for the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), a framework for increasing agricultural production and productivity, improving food and nutrition security and eradicating poverty,
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