WFP renews commitment to end hunger in Uganda

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The World Food Programme –WFP has renewed its commitment to end hunger in Uganda by 2030.

Ryan Anderson, the WFP Country Representative WFP announced the commitment during an annual stakeholders’ conference held for West Nile and Acholi sub-regions on Wednesday at Muni University.

The Conference is aimed at reinforcing commitment to effectively support the Government of Uganda in hosting the largest refugee population in Africa along with host communities; strengthen partnerships for ending hunger in Uganda and fast-tracking national efforts to achieve middle-income status by 2040.

Anderson said the strategic plan to achieve zero hunger in Uganda, launched in 2017 will be achieved through strategic partnerships to discuss collaboration on food availability, nutrition, school feeding, socio-economic well being, peaceful co-existence between refugees and host communities and how Uganda can maximize its economic benefit of WFP’s local food market.

In 2019, WFP and UNICEF secured a five-year grant to improve resilience among both refugees and host communities in the West Nile region. Through this contribution, local governments will take the lead in implementing activities that will improve economic inclusion and mother-and-child health and nutrition.

According to Swedish Ambassador to Uganda Per Lindgarde, Sweden will ensure that the refugees and host communities improve their household incomes and maternal and child health.

The State Minister for Local Government Jennifer Namuyangu has welcomed the initiative saying collaborative partnership will help address emergency needs of the people and enhance new innovations for the two regions.

In 2016 and 2017, the National Planning Authority-NPA led the national Zero Hunger Strategic Review, which examined Uganda’s readiness to achieve Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and the related challenges and informed the formulation of WFP’s Country Strategic Plan.

Currently, WFP is working with the NPA to ensure that recommendations of the Strategic Review are incorporated in the Third National Development Plan (NDP III).

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