By Obbo Yusuf
The State minister for agriculture and animal industry Hon. Bwino kyakulaga has urged Basogas to use locally mixed food types and greens in abide to defeat the malnutrition problem in their region that stands at 30%.
Hon. Bwino made the call while in Iganga district, Bulamagi subcounty to monitor the progress of Uganda Multi-Sectoral Food Security and Nutrition project (UMFSNP) implemented in 25 districts of Uganda at the demonstrational venues and implementing communities. The project is aimed at increasing production and consumption of micronutrient-rich foods and utilization of community-based nutrition services in smallholder households.
It targets Pregnant, lactating women and children under the age of two (2) years in all the 25 participating districts in the country through delivering enhanced community-based nutrition services to the above categories of people.
Hon Bwino Kyakulaga said that Busoga region was included in the program after realizing that it has high level of malnutrition cases of 29% in the children. He is also very optimistic that by the conclusion of the program in 2022 a great impact shall be registered.
According to the National project coordinator of Uganda Multi-Sectoral Food Security and Nutrition project (UMFSNP) Julius Tulyemasiko revealed that before the program started at least four children were admitted in a period of two weeks at every health centre. However after the implementation the level of children admitted under malnutrition cases reduced to 1 child every after month.
Through MAAIF supported by the World Bank, the government of Uganda has injected over 3,383,408,800/= to Iganga and Bugweri district to implement the program from 2018 to date.
Through this program the local people have been taught how to mixed local food in abide to defeat the malnutrition problem.
The project has so far directly benefited about 1.14 million primary beneficiaries and implemented in over 1500 government aided schools all over the country.
