Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Since Uganda approved the National Social Protection Policy in 2015, progressive growth has been witnessed in social protection services by the government, but vulnerability and inequalities remain a concern, according to Antonio Querido, FAO representative in Uganda. Querido, who spoke during a 2-day workshop …
Read More »UN agencies warn of food insecurity spike in South Sudan
Juba, South Sudan | Xinhua | Three United Nations agencies have called for ramping up humanitarian assistance to stave off a looming hunger and enhance resilience in South Sudan, warning that food insecurity is likely to rise by 7 percent in the coming months. According to a new report on …
Read More »Solar powered cooking stoves gives new life to users
But the cost remains high for most households Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | A new solar energy project is using green technology to improve lives of isolated villages living far beyond the reach of Uganda’s electricity grid. The Gomba District Farmers Association members have relied on firewood to cook and …
Read More »Desert locust upsurge in Horn of Africa ends: FAO
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Xinhua | The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations on Wednesday said the desert locust upsurge that had ravaged the Horn of Africa for more than two years has ended. “The current desert locust upsurge has finally ended in the Horn of Africa after …
Read More »How Russia-Ukraine conflict could influence Africa’s food supplies
No man qualifies as a statesman who is entirely ignorant of the problems of wheat | WANDILE SIHLOBO | The words of the ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates. Wheat and other grains are back at the heart of geopolitics following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Both countries play a major role in …
Read More »FAO appeals for 130 mln USD for drought-hit East Africa
Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on Friday appealed for 14.77 billion shillings (about 130 million U.S. dollars) to provide time-critical assistance to highly vulnerable communities in drought-hit regions of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. FAO warned that an extended, multi-season drought is …
Read More »Fighting Mabira Forest tree cutters
How new NFA tracking technology is improving monitoring and enforcement Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | All Uganda’s forests will have disappeared in the next 30 years, if nothing is done to save them today. That is what the experts at the National Forestry Authority (NFA) say. But not many …
Read More »FAO urges gov’ts to make agrifood systems more resilient
Rome, Italy | Xinhua | Governments need to make their agrifood systems more connected, diversified, and resilient to sudden shocks, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stressed in a major report on Tuesday. Unveiled at a virtual conference at the FAO headquarters in Rome, “The State of Food and Agriculture …
Read More »Uganda’s disaster preparedness too inadequate – UN agencies
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government has commenced a process to develop what should be a more coordinated and effective National Disaster and Risk Management Plan amidst criticism of how it has handled recent occurrences. The move spearheaded by the Office of the Prime Minister in partnership with the …
Read More »We prefer donations in kind to cash – Minister Tumwebaze
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze is discouraging donors from giving his ministry cash. Tumwebaze said cash donations are tempting and also items to be procured could take longer because of the procedures that must be taken such as domestic and international …
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