"www.fao.org/about/meetings/sustainable-food-systems-nutrition-symposium The International Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition was jointly held by FAO and WHO in December 2016 to explore policies and programme options for shaping the food systems in ways that deliver foods for a healthy diet, focusing on concrete country experiences and challenges. This Symposium waas the first large-scale contribution under the UN Decade of Action for Nutrition 2016-2025. This presentation was part of Parallel session 3.2: Enhancing food system resilience in areas affected by climate change and other crisis"

2. Senior Agriculture Officer:- Nutrition & Home Economics
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries-
Uganda.
Food systems resilience in economic/ food price crisis:
Lessons from Uganda
Presented By: Stephen BIRIBONWA (Mr.)

3. Food System definition,
Uganda country profile,
Food Production, Promotion & Utilization,
Food Marketing Systems/Distribution Channels,
Policy Framework Guiding/supporting Food Systems,
Interventions/Actions Supporting Food System Resilience to
Economic/Price Crisis,
Lessons and/or Key Message
Presentation outline

4. Food System
• A food system is composed of the environment,
people, institutions and processes through which
agricultural products are produced, processed and
brought to the consumers.
That path from field to fork (the entire value chains) is
extremely critical.
Every aspect of the food system has an effect on the final
availability and accessibility of diverse, nutritious foods-
and therefore on consumers’ ability to choose healthy
diets.

5. Uganda country profile
• Total area: 241,038 Km2 ;
• Land area: 197,100 Km2;
• Water area: 43,938 Km2 ; (15.4%)
• Population: 34.9 million people(UBO 2014)
Over 70% of the population employed in
agriculture.
• The Equator divides the country into the
northern and southern hemisphere; this has
an effect on climate/rainfall patterns: Mainly
Bimodal rainfall pattern; rainy (March-June
& September-November).
Diets mainly composed of plantain, starchy
roots crops (cassava, sweet potatoes, yams,
Potato) and cereals (maize, millet, sorghum,
rice, wheat). Pulses, nuts and green leafy
vegetables complement the diet.

6. Uganda country profile …,
• Majority of population live in rural set-ups & produce food for
their consumption. Agricultural sector has many players.
• Diverse crop production system dominates and diverse food
varieties including cash crops and food crops, supported by
the bi-modal rainfall patterns, agro-ecological zones [10] and
urban/peri-urban agriculture.
• Fresh water lakes & rivers with various fish species &
Aquaculture (fish farming) practiced
• Animals and Crop varieties including indigenous crops that are
high yielding and resilient to climate change (indigenous
tomatoes, coco-yams, yams, goose-berries) as well as
seasonal insects (grass hoppers, white ants).
• Priority and strategic commodities are promoted

7. Food Production, promotion & Utilization
Diverse varieties of foods are
produced/promoted and utilized
in various combinations and forms
• Maize is eaten as a meal,
porridge, roasted, as grain.
• Maize, millet, sorghum, cassava
are eaten as porridge, meal or
fermented drinks [Ajon,
Muramba].
• Milk taken as fresh, fermented
bongo, cheese, ghee
• Seasonal insects [grass hoppers]

8. Food marketing systems/distribution channels
• Distributing food from areas of
high production to areas of
low/scarcity for example:
matooke, maize, rice, beans,
groundnuts, maize, tomatoes,
fruits & vegetables, cassava
potatoes and poultry, goats,
cattle from production
regions/zones to other areas
especially the urban and peri
urban areas.
• Local markets and supermarkets
are key in food marketing.

9. Policy framework Guiding/supporting Food Systems
 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995 Stipulates the right to
adequate (both in quality and quantity) food to all people in Uganda
(Article XXII).
 Uganda Vision 2040 focuses on improving the quality of life of its
population, health and nutrition status.
 National Development Plan II, 2016-2020: Food Security and
Nutrition be integrated in line sectors development plans.
 National Agriculture Policy, 2013: Its overall objective is to achieve
Food and Nutrition Security and improve Household incomes.
 Agriculture Sector Strategic Plan Uganda’s CAADP compact, and is
well aligned to CAADP pillars.
 Uganda Nutrition Action Plan promotes a multi-sectorial approach
to tackle malnutrition and nutrition issues. Objective 2 is to promote
the production & consumption of diverse diets (SUN Movement).
 National Agriculture Extension Policy & Decentralisation policy

10. Interventions/Actions Supporting Food System Resilience
to Economic/Price Crisis
• Emphasis on 12 Priority and 4 Strategic Commodities as a Strategic
Direction to spur economic development:- cassava, beans, rice,
banana, maize, Fruits & vegetables coffee, tea, cocoa, cotton,
vegetable oil & oil crops (soy bean, groundnuts, sesame, sun flower),
livestock (Meat) & dairy cattle, and fish
• Research promotion: Through NARO (bio-fortification strategy to
improve micro-nutrient availability hence mitigate hide hunger-
Micro-nutrient malnutrition e.g High Iron and Zinc Rich beans (HIB),
Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP)
• Provision of seeds/planting materials by NAADS/OWC: Promotion
of Food security crops at house hold level: maize, beans, cassava,
potatoes, tomatoes, vegetables.
• Provision of extension services up to sub county level
• Promotion production & consumption of small animals (piggery,
goats, sheep, rabbits, poultry [kuroiller])

11. Interventions/Actions Supporting Food System Resilience to
Economic/Price Crisis …,
• Promotion production and consumption of apiary products (bee
keeping),
• Promotion of the production, consumption/utilization of silver fish
(mukene) for human consumption
• Promoting Household food processing & preservation technologies
hence increasing food shelf life, availability and bio availability
(fermentation-YOGURT-AMUDAT, smoking, drying, solar drying of
fruits),
• Promotion of aquaculture (fish farming)
• Promotion of urban farming (including; kitchen gardening,
mushrooms growing, poultry) as a safety net for poor and food
insecure households in the urban/peri-urban areas.

12. Lessons and/or Key Message
Developing and implementation of policies geared at
improving household food security and nutrition which
promote the production and consumption of various foods
including indigenous foods and indigenous knowledge use is
needed, together with improved food distribution channels to
keep food prices stable during crises.

13. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
Name: Stephen BIRIBONWA (Mr.)
Title: Senior Agricultural Officer:- Nutrition & Home Economics
Address: Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry & Fisheries, P.O
Box 102, Plot 14 – 18 Lugard Street
Entebbe-UGANDA.
Telephone: (M) +256 772 439 868, +256 702 439 868,
Email: sbiribonwa@yahoo.com, abelbiribonwa@gmail.com
Skype: abakstep
Web site: www.agriculture.go.ug