By Joshua Kato
For the last two years, prices of almost all foodstuffs have been rising.
At the moment, a kilogramme of maize in an area like Kakumiro district costs sh1,750, the highest ever recorded. Just over three years ago, it cost sh600.
For this reason, maize flour has been at an average of sh3,200 for the last two years. Beans cost an average of sh5,000 in most city and urban markets.
Other foods, like soya are as scarce as ever. Bananas, cassava and sweet potatoes, too, have been consistently in short supply for at least a year now. Meanwhile, the human population continues to grow.
Food remains the most important need for not just people, but also domesticated commercial animals, for example, chickens, pigs, cattle, etc. Of course, this offers an opportunity for farmers to earn more.
Scarcity has largely come up due to several factors, including poor weather during the last two seasons, but also laxity in production by farmers due to unstable prices.
Uganda is endowed with natural advantages to food production compared to its neighbours.
People must wake up, utilise such advantages and grow more food not only to improve domestic food security, but also the earnings.
