By obbo Yusuf
Karenga Vegetable farmers have harvested massively through Andre food international AFI supported farming project which assists disadvantaged people to fight Malnutrition and also boost income generation in homes.
According to AFI, they have registered success in the project of fighting Malnutrition cases in North karamoja region since 10,000 children have been treated from Malnutrition .
The organization has resorted to setting vegetable gardens to the disadvantaged people to help pregnant women ,care takers and young children to overcome Malnutrition cases in the region.
Andrew Kiri Amegovu, the country director for AFI said that the residents in the region had stopped accessing local milk which lead to increased cases of Malnutrition hence the organization efforts to help the disadvantaged groups in Karamoja region mostly the affected areas like Karenga ,Kabong , Nakapiripiti ,Abim, Moroto.
The organization was engaged by the World Food Program in 2005 to assist them in solving the problem of increasing Malnutrition case despite WFP spending over 50 years supporting the area with food especially in Schools but yielded lesser or no result.
In 2020 AFI introduced fish farming in Karenga District where disadvantaged people were grouped into groups of 20 people that’s 10 men 10 and supported them with ponds filled with flies to feed the fish. And In Karenga district, 100 households were targeted as first beneficiaries.
Andre food international (AFI) also introduced vegetable growing to the people of Karenga and through the new program the disadvantaged groups are supported in getting for them markets and seedlings with the aim of boosting income and easing food supply at home especially to pregnant women and children hence bringing about a positive change to Karamoja region
The AFI Nutrition officer for Karenga district, Tafire Henry said that the program was designed to assist disadvantaged groups of people to solve the problem of high Malnutrition cases at home level as well as boosting their homes with income generation through selling the extra vegetables and fish.
According to AFI’s assessment, it indicates that more than 10% of the children aged 5-59 month in the region suffer Acute Malnutrition, over 50% of the children are stunted due to under nutritious which is due to poor feeding. However AFI has managed to reach over 10,000 children in the north karamoja region and while a total of 7000 children have been identified and are to benefit directly on treatment until they change.
Beneficiaries applauded Andre food international and world food Program to support communities with programs that aim at improving their livelihood.
Globally, undernourishment decreased from 19% to 11% over the past quarter century. However, the pandemic is reversing the gains made, however. Will Moore, the chief executive officer of the Eleanor Crook Foundation, said that experts are now predicting up to a 50% increase in severe malnutrition globally due to COVID-19.
He Further said, budget cuts to nutrition efforts and initiatives hinder the progress that has already been made.
