Unjust Land Laws Driving Inequality in Uganda, and Biodiversity Degradation

BY Sharon Kyatusiimire

A report by Oxfam Uganda has shown that more Ugandans especially the rural poor, women and the youths are increasingly losing their rights overland, a thing that is pushing them further into poverty and hence worsening inequality between the rich and the poor.

According to the report titled 'Locked Out', the poor population, young people and women most of whom live in rural areas has been locked out from enjoying their land rights.Land disputes according to the report stem from the post-colonial land laws and the available policies have failed to effectively deal with perpetual land questions.

Speaking at the official launch that happened at Mestil Hotel in Kampala on recently, the state Minister for Lands, Persis Namuganza said because of the increasing population, this has exerts much pressure on land  and other Biodiversity’s resources in the Country   which has resulted into land disputes and Environmental degradation.

Minister Namuganza making  speech during the Launch of the Report 

The Minister explained that those with less power on lands across the country have been forced to encroach on gazetted Biodiversity such Forest’s, wetlands and in turn this has big negative impact on the country’s Environment.

“Some of those people you see encroaching on wetlands, destroying the country’s forest are there because of inequality in the land ownership that is why we are experiencing  some floods in some parts of the country because of Land Injustices which most people especially the rural poor are expiring” She explained.  

   

She added that the Government is doing everything to tighten the Land Laws to offer protection for the vulnerable groups.

"At the moment we have over 43m people, by 2030, the population will be 50m and 100m by 2050. The land of Uganda has remained constant hence the need to put in place laws and regulations that will ensure effective use of this limited land for all Ugandans," she said

The Oxfam Country Director Edward Mwebaze said that there’s a huge gap between the poor and the rich according to the recent researches done by the organisation in 2017.

“The poor are marginalised and many were locked up off their land, paid less or payment delayed. We invite the authorities to come up with clear solutions to deal with the situation,” Mwebaze said.

Between 1996 and 2012 the richest 10% of the population increased their share of national income from 29.9% to 35.7%. On the contrary, the share of the poorest 10% decreased from 3.2% to 2.5%.

Presenting highlights of the report, Dr.Fred Muhumuza from Makerere University  said that people providing paid agricultural labor and people in subsistence farming are more likely to be poor than those whose main income is commercial farming or other non-agricultural enterprise.

Dr. Fred Muhumuza  the Brain behind the Report 

“The use of land also has an impact on households that are not directly dependent on land-based activities. This is through the production of food, export revenues, and industrial production that influence the price levels and value of real income,” Muhumuza said.

He added that the most frequent causes of disputes around land relate to boundaries, rights of way or access (36%), ownership or use (25%), land grabbing (22%) and missing or unclear land titles (4%).

“The inadequacy of land dispute resolution mechanisms is a major contributor to inequality,” he said, adding: “Trust in dispute resolution mechanisms is undermined by interventions of the Office of the President in cases that are already in court.”

Anew Curriculum to boost EAC Hospitality Industry Launched

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO.

The hospitality industry (tourism) in Uganda has got yet another boost from the Booking.Com and EyeOpeneraWorks towards skills development of youth in the East African region.

As East Africa continues to remain the hub for tourists in the African continent, from around the world, it is imperative that those in the field of tourism are equipped with the necessary skills to handle the visitors.

Throughout the continent new hotels and lodges are being built every single day and more and more tourist activities take place, but research has indicated that the staffs in these hotels still, doesn’t match the global standards acceptable to handling foreign visitors.

According to Melodi Tamarzians, the Mango Tree Creative Director, who are implementing for the Curriculum said the programm aimed at  preparing   students for internships and ultimately jobs in these local hotels, lodges, restaurants, and tourist sites.

Martijn Harlaar from the EyeOpenerWorks

with Microphone speaking during the Launch of the programme 

“It is designed to prepare them for a future in the emerging world around them,” she told the press during the Ukarimu Hospitality launch held at the Design Hub, Mango Tree in Kampala on recently.

The curriculum is based on principles of active learning and is a combination of hard and soft skills to inspire young adults with little education and limited options.

Jean Charles de Bievre, the Global Commercial Excellence Manager at Booking.com said the unique course will help them to create skills to be a good employee, how to be a productive member of a team, how to identify a place for themselves in the industry, and how they can set personal goals to prepare for the future. 

Ukarimu is the first open-source curriculum for tourism and hospitality training in Africa.

It is initiated by Mango Tree and EyeOpenerWorks in partnership with a number of grassroots hospitality training institutes, such as the Karamoja Tourism Training Academy and the Rwenzori Tourism Academy in Uganda, and the other tourism training institutes in Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa.

Martijn Harlaar from the EyeOpenerWorks noted that Youth unemployment is a big problem all over Africa and yet, tourism is growing rapidly.

“Tourism can play an important role by providing meaningful jobs to local youth. Hotels and lodges are interested in employing local youth, but in our  own investigation found found that 9 out of 11 lodges state they are unhappy with the current skills of graduates from hospitality training institutes” He explained

“Ukarimu is freely available for anyone with an interest in training young people in tourism and hospitality (hotels and lodges, NGOs, governments,” he said during the launch.

Ukarimu is an open-source curriculum for tourism and hospitality training, based on principles of active learning and promoting practical sessions. It is the first of its kind in Africa. 

Through short, practical training, students are taught in technical skills, soft skills on customer care and professionalism learn how to operate in the industry, and how to build a career.

Ukarimu is implemented by Mango Tree (MT) and EyeOpenerWorks (EOW), through a process of human-centered design and co-creation.It is developed in collaboration with the Rwenzori Tourism Academy, the Karamoja Tourism Academy and training institutes in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. Ukarimu is funded by the sustainability team of Booking.com

Airtel Uganda Launches New Internet Solution, SME,s to benefit

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

Uganda’s small and Medium Enterprises that have been spending highly on expensive Internet will have reason to smile after Airtel Uganda’s launched recently  a new Internet solution targeting SME, s and Homes.

The new Solution Airtel Broad band outdoor Internet solution will offer uninterrupted Internet at affordable cost compare to the current solution which the various telecoms are offering to the internet users.

According to the Airtel Uganda Managing  Manager V.G. Somasekhar,  the Airtel Broad Band  Out door  which is fixed Internet devices has the ability  to connect  32 internet powered  devices this makes it conducive to  Homes and SME,s.

Airtel Uganda Managing Director Somasekhar Handing over new brand Airtel Braod Band Devices to the Minister Michael Werikhe Kafabusa.

“The solution is ideal for businesses particularly SMEs that need a reliable, fast internet for uninterrupted operations adding that it as well addresses the need for the smart home allowing simultaneous connections for streaming online content, e-entertainment; while still acting as a WiFi Router for the entire house at the same capped monthly cost” Somasekhar explained during the Launch at the Airtel Offices.

Commenting on the affordability of the solution, the Airtel officer noted that Airtel Broad Band is affordable to the general public especially to the SME,s and it has an associated  Incentives on it to the customers.

  “The solution offers the best internet experience at the most affordable rate of less than Shs2,000 per GB, and the unit attracts a one-off entry cost of Shs280,000 inclusive of a 51GB of Data valid for 30 days, free installation and device maintenance” He added

Launching the solution, the State Minister for Trade in the Ministry of Trade Industries and Cooperatives, Michael Werikhe Kafabusa applauded Airtel for coming up with such solution which he said it will aid the Ugandan Business Communities.

 “Communication plays big role in supporting trade in Uganda our trader are facing challenges associated with high cost of Internet but with the coming up of Airtel Broad Band Internet solution this will lower the cost majority SME,s have been incurring  on Internet” He said

He added by explaining that  Ugandan traders like their counterparts in other African countries are embracing online trading but this cannot be rolled out with the high cost of Internet  thus the need for the private sector to come up with cheap products that can support Ugandan trade to embrace online  shopping and marketing.

 Commenting on behalf of the SME,s Isa Ssekito the Public Relations office for Kampala City traders Association said with the Launch of the solution this will lower the cost of doing Business by the SME,s in the Country.

Isa Ssekito of KACITA receiving new Broad Band Kit  from the Aitel Uganda Managing Director  

The Airtel Broad Band Internet solution will be first piloted in the greater Kampala covering the areas of Kampala city, Entebbe and some parts of Mukono; however Airtel promised the network to be extended to other parts of the country in few months to come.

   

LVBC AND UNEP team discussed adapting to climate project implementation

 Source LVBC

A team from the United Environment Programme (UNEP) and Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) recently held discussions centered on progress of implementation for Adapting to Climate Change in Lake Victoria Basin (ACC-LVB) Project coordinated in 5 East African Community (EAC) Partner States.

The meeting held at LVBC Headquarters, Kisumu, Kenya from 22nd-23rd October 2019 aimed at discussing project implementation progress, existing challenges and drawing momentum to fast-track the implementation moving forward.

LVBC Executive Secretary Dr. Ally Said Matano referred to the project as catalytic and responsive to existing climatic challenges in Lake Victoria Basin. LVBC Executive Secretary cited weather extremes such as floods after drought in EAC Partner States as practical examples of relevance of project interventions on adaptation climate change risks and vulnerabilities.

Dr. Ally Said Matano  inthe Midle with neck tie  posing in group photo with UNEP delegates 

He lauded the existing mutual partnership between UNEP and LVBC as evidenced by the present project on adaption to climate change and other foreseeable partnership opportunities in the future.

He guided the technical project management and oversight team to approach the project implementation with an end in mind because it guarantees clarity towards achieving the project intended outcomes and impacts.

Essey Daniel, Programme Officer from UNEP shared with participants the uniqueness of the project, its responsiveness to existing climate change vulnerabilities and risks at regional, national and community levels of East African Community Partner States.

 He acknowledged the complexities of the project specifically being the first of its kind in Lake Victoria Basin region of the East African Community. Examples cited as complexities included differences in levels in terms of mainstreaming adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience in policies, plans, priorities of EAC Partner States and transboundary nature of the project.

Essey underscored that whereas the project has specific activities, project management team should also prioritize existing peoples’ strategies of adapting to climate change at local levels. He also acknowledged the catalytic nature of the project and heralded future partnerships between LVBC and UNEP building on potential best practices from the present project. 

The meeting discussed LVBC governance structure, project implementation status and strategies for fast-tracking implementation strategies for project activities, procurement and finance components of the projects among others.

Closing the meeting, LVBC Executive Secretary, Dr. Ally-Said Matano noted that meeting acted as an induction for some new members joining the project and reviewing implementation status. He reiterated the good political will, LVBC stakeholders convening advantage and complementary expertise which will contribute to the realization of the project objectives.  

Overall, Adapting to Climate Change in Lake Victoria Basin (ACC-LVB) Project aims at reducing vulnerability to the negative effects of climate change in Lake Victoria Basin.  Key project outcomes are institutional and technical strengthening, timely sharing of climate change related information with national policy-makers, technical officers and local communities, reduced community vulnerabilities, enhanced regional climate change resilience and improved knowledge sharing for effective decision-making in the Lake Victoria Basin

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Participants to the meeting were Eng Hilda Pius Luoga, Acting Deputy Executive Secretary for Programmes and Projects for Lake Victoria and Projects Development Officer, Adapting to Climate Change in Lake Victoria Basin Manager, Dr. Masinde Bwire, and other Project teams from Lake Victoria Basin, among others.

African Development Bank commits US$12.5bn to mitigate climate change.

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

African Development Bank has pledged to boost funding commitments of about US$12.5bn to help African countries adapt to the effects of climate change between 2020 and 2025

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The Revelation was made by the Bank’s President President Akinwumi Adesina while addressing the UN talks on climate change adaptation; Adesina said the Bank was doubling commitments to climate finance to $25bn for the five-year period, half of which would fund climate adaptation.

“This is where the rubber meets the road Because many of the countries are facing extreme weather patterns, and they can't wait any more, we've decided to launch the Africa disaster risk facility to ensure these countries get the resources they need to insure themselves against catastrophic risk events,” Adesina told members of the Global Commission on Adaptation.

The President of the African Development Bank  Akinwumi making speech 

 According to the Statement from the African Development Banks, the banks will invest resources in projects such as involves building early warning systems so that African governments know of emerging threats and an insurance scheme to provide payouts when drought, floods and other calamities strike.

Other sector to be sponsored  by the Bank also include  supporting policy makers  involves building early warning systems so that African governments know of emerging threats and an insurance scheme to provide payouts when drought, floods and other calamities strike.

The meeting, called Countdown to the Climate Adaptation Summit: the Launch of the Year of Action, was organised by the Global Commission on Adaptation, which seeks to prepare cities and farmlands for a hotter world.

The president and other participants during the meeting 

Speaking at the same meeting, Bill Gates, the software tycoon, philanthropist and member of the commission, warned that farmers could see their crops dwindle by as much as 30 per cent over the next 30 years and warned that Africa could be hit hardest.

 “Look at the world's poorest people, the majority of them are the smallholder farmers. And yet … they are going to be the first and the ones with the worst impacts, which leads to malnutrition and to instability,” said Gates.

Gates, a co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said enhancing crop seeds, developing finance and insurance packages and new agricultural systems and policies could ready farmers for a riskier future.

The targets are focused on finance and investment, agriculture and feeding populations, nature-based solutions, water, cities, locally-led action, infrastructure, and preventing natural disasters.

Ban Ki-moon, a former UN secretary-general and chair of the commission, called for action to ready the world’s 300 million small-scale farmers for land degradation, drought and other impacts of climate change.

“Without urgent action to help the world’s smallholder farmers we risk undermining our food security for generations to come,” Ban told delegates to the talks, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

NEMA embarks on massive Biodiversity Restoration Exercise.

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO.

NEMA-Mbale Regional Office in partnership with NFA-Moroto Range Office, Moroto District Local Government and local communities (including the indigenous Tepeth) have commenced on tree-planting Exercise  to restore the river  Lia water  catchment   area .

The exercise will result in the restoration of at least 10 hectares of Moroto Forest Reserve. A total of at least 7,000 trees will be planted in an area that constitutes a critical part of the catchment area that provides headwaters for the Lia stream.

Officials planting the tree's 

The stream is an important element in the makeup of the water resource base and natural drainage pattern of Moroto and the greater northeastern region in general. The catchment area was encroached on by encroachers for Agriculture related Activities

 Community Engagement during the Exercise  

In related development the Environment protection agency for Uganda has also embarked on the restoration of Oliduru Central Forest Reserve in Ogwet Sub county inOtuke District. The restoration comes at atime when the forests trees were almost cut down due to the high demand for wood related products such as charcoal and timber for construction purposes.

To ensure that the forest is restored, NEMA in collaboration with National Forest Authority in collaboration with the Ngetta   Agriculture Research Institute and the Otuke Local Government will plant over 15000 Shea nuts seedlings in the bare parts of the forest reserve covering up to 222 hectares of land.

 Francis  Ogwal the  NEMA,s Natural Resources  manager in charge of  Biodiversity and Rangelands  said that restoring the Country’s, degraded Biodiversity is critical towards mitigating  the Impacts that  are associated  Biodiversity destruction such as floods  and the accumulation of greenhouse gasses  in the atmosphere.  

UN, Environment& Faith Organization to host Climate Emergency Conference.

.BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

United  Nations Environment Program( UNEP)  is to host a two days International UN Environment’s Faith for Earth Initiative conference as part of the commemoration of the fourth Anniversary of the  Laudato Si', the second encyclical of Pope Francis, specifically on the environment.

The conference is being organized by UN Environment’s Faith for Earth Initiative—along with partners including the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and it will take place at the UN Environment Head offices in Nairobi Kenya.

The 15-16July conference will focus on climate emergency and ecosystems restoration to spur governments and young people to heed the calls of many indigenous peoples for better global stewardship of the environment.

Cardinal Peter Turkson  will be the main speaker at the Conference 

On many occasions the Catholic Church headed by   Pope Francis has already warned about the dangers of global heating. Thus the only way to combat it is through the collaboration between the faith based organizations like the Catholic Church working closely with Environment Organizations   like UN Environment to come up with solution to mitigate climate change.

Commenting on the upcoming Conference, Charles McNeill, Senior Policy Advisor on Forests and Climate, UN Environment says youth are key in combating climate change but on many occasions have been left out to participate in decision making that is why the organization has brought them on board as strong shareholders in the fight against climate change.

“Youth will be the foundation of any faith-based movement to end tropical deforestation, and we welcome this conference as an opportunity to deepen and expand commitment across faiths and sectors. “He said in Press statement.

 The Faith for Earth Initiative is also working with faith-based investment institutions to help them make the switch from carbon-based investments towards more sustainable energy and other investments. Speakers at the conference will be led by Cardinal Peter Turkson  a Ghanaian  who will provide a scientific perspective on the current state of the world and stress the importance of youth engagement.

According to the statement, the conference will address urgent needs and opportunities in Africa and showcase best practices across the continent and the role of youth leadership and innovation.

Commenting on the perspective on the catholic youth the Executive Director of the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa Allen Attaro says  “Africa’s youth feel the urgent responsibility to ensure their communities, countries and the continent act as frontrunners for a safe, sustainable and productive future for them and for future generations,”

                

Enact Environment Ordinance on Tree planting to save Environment Government tells Local Govt

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

Local Government across the country have been told to come up with ordinances  on tree planting as one of the mechanism to protect the Environment which is under threat  thus exposing the country to the consequences of Climate change.

While presenting the UGX40.5 trillion Budget for the financial year 2019/2020 Speech at Serena Hotel the Minister of Finance Planning and Economic Development Matia Kasaija said The Country has lost hectares of its Environment through Destruction of Wetlands, depletion of Forest cover both under the central management and private one but his comes with great Impact on the people livelihood thus the need to protect the Environment at grass root level.

Uganda,s Minister for Finance Matia Kasaijja 

“The destruction of Wetlands  adversely Impacts  the welfare of our  people in the many ways such as water shortage  or no water  at all  for domestic use  and production  increased temperature  and severe  long droughts , over flooding among other key impacts. It’s on this back ground that Reforestation and Restoration of wetlands must be under taken as a matter of urgency” The Minister Directed to the concerns Agencies.

He added by explaining that  the destruction of  wetlands and  forest covers  will be penalized  through  the enforcement of  environmental  Laws  and regulations  thus local governments must  enact  and enforce  ordinances  on tree planting   efficient  waste management  and wetlands conservation.

Other strategies that should be Implemented to save the country’s, Biodiversity include the ban  on use of harmful  materials  such as  environmentally destructive  polythene  bags among other non-degradable materials which are highly used by the general Public

    

World Environment Day, the World focused on Air Pollution which is becoming a, Health threat

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

Governments, industry, communities and individuals around the world today commemorated World Environment Day, the United Nations’ biggest annual event for positive environmental action, encouraging worldwide awareness and commitment to protect our planet.

This year’s celebrations, held under the theme ‘Beat Air Pollution’, called upon people to explore renewable energy and green technologies, and improve air quality in cities and regions across the world. More than 6 billion people – one-third of them children – regularly breathe air that is so polluted it puts their health and well-being at risk.

Polluted city like this one creates Health risks to the Occupants 

Spearheaded by China, the official host of the global World Environment Day celebrations, UN Environment’s campaign to #BeatAirPollution culminated into a record number of registered events and commitments.

“Protecting our blue skies may be difficult, but our future relies on it,” Joyce Msuya, acting Executive Director of UN Environment, said during the global celebrations in Hangzhou.

She added by saying  “And they are our blue skies. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Beijing or Beirut, when we look up we see the same sky. And I think when we look to China, we see many examples of how to protect it.”

Over the past decade, the Chinese government has taken drastic measures to limit air pollution in its biggest cities, bringing back blue skies in Beijing, Shanghai and other megacities, benefitting the health of millions.

By implementing far-reaching measures at the national- and state-level government, such as 100 per cent electric public transportation, curtailing outputs from factories and allocating more than US$10 billion to address air quality, several cities saw the concentration of PM 2.5 drop dramatically.

The President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, conveyed his congratulations on the occasion of World Environment Day, saying, 

“Humankind only has one planet. Environmental conservation and sustainable development are the common responsibility of all countries. Ecological civilization is built into China’s national development architecture and strategy. China will work with any and all to implement the 2030 agenda to protect our only planet.”

Pollinators under threat from Human Activities.

BY SAMUEL  NABWIISO

Anew report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services report has revealed that Bees and other pollinators, such as butterflies, bats and hummingbirds, are increasingly under threat from human activities.

The report points out massive usage of Agricultural pesticide, Air Pollution from the Industries and other Human activities as the big treat to the existence of the vital Insects globally.The report urges the UN Member states to ensure that their national practices Environmentally friend Agriculture practices if the Pollinators are to be protected from the dangers associated with Human Activities   on the Biodiversity  Ecosystem.

“Increasing crop and regional farm diversity as well as targeted habitat conservation, management or restoration, is one way of combating climate change and promoting biodiversity,” says UN Environment biodiversity specialist Marieta Sakalian.

Bee visting  Sunflower such actions for the pollinators are key nin  food production 

In the report, Air pollution is also thought to be affecting bees. Preliminary research shows that air pollutants interact with scent molecules released by plants which bees need to locate food. The mixed signals interfere with the bee’s ability to forage, making them slower and less effective at pollination.

 Why pollinators should be protected from all dangerous chemicals?Pollinators contribute directly to food security. Nearly three quarters of the plants that produce 90 per cent of the world’s food require this external help. And according to bee experts at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a third of the world’s food production depends on bees.

Bees are renowned for their role in providing high-quality food—honey, royal jelly and pollen—and other products such as beeswax, propolis and honey bee venom.

They are also part of the biodiversity on which we all depend for our survival. “Sacred passages about bees in all the worlds’ major religions highlight their significance to human societies over millennia,” says a May 2019 report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).Bee keeping provides an important source of income for many rural livelihoods.

Tanzania Bans Buvera

Speed up GMO crop commercialization, Ghanaian farmers ask Government

BY Environment News Uganda   Correspondent.

Farmers in northern Ghana are calling on their government to speed up the commercialization of genetically modified (GM) crops in the country.

During a media briefing in Tamale, representatives of farmer groups under the coalition of Concerned Farmers of the Northern Region expressed their concern about the continuous decline of cotton and cowpea production in that part of the country.

Good Harvest , farmers in Ghana believes that once they commence farming Bt cotton their harvest will also Improve 

Farmers  attribute such decline to repeated pest attacks and are confident that GM crops will help them deal with such problems. The coalition includes the Northern Farmers Association, Juni Farmers Association, Northern Livestock Farmers Association, and the Northern Out growers  and Business Association.

The coalition has released a press statement delivered by conveners Ibrahim Alhassan of the Juni Farmers Association and Nasiru Adams of the Northern Farmers Association. In their statement, the farmers said that "biotechnology as a scientific tool is not a killer, but one that is used to modify seeds genetically for our good.

 It provides efficient solutions, to the problems we the farmers of Ghana face in our daily operations in crop and other production activities.

"To the government of Ghana, we say act now and facilitate the commercialization of GM variety seeds especially cowpea and rice. Let the farmers have the GM variety alongside the conventional seeds, we are simply demanding for our right of choice." Farmers said in Statement 

Fight climate change by preventing food waste

Today, an estimated one-third of all the food produced in the world goes to waste. That’s equal to about 1.3 billion tons of fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, seafood, and grains that either never leave the farm, get lost or spoiled during distribution, or are thrown away in hotels, grocery stores, restaurants, schools, or home kitchens. It could be enough calories to feed every undernourished person on the planet.

left over like these are not Envoronmentally friendly

But wasted food isn't just a social or humanitarian concern—it's an environmental one. When we waste food, we also waste all the energy and water it takes to grow, harvest, transport, and package it. And if food goes to the landfill and rots, it produces methane—a greenhouse gas even more potent than carbon dioxide. About 11% of all the greenhouse gas emissions that come from the food system could be reduced if we stop wasting food. In the US alone, the production of lost or wasted food generates the equivalent of 37 million cars’ worth of greenhouse gas emissions.

As the world’s population continues to grow, our challenge should not be how to grow more food, but to feed more people while wasting less of what we already produce. Thankfully, there are plenty of actions we can take at the consumer level to make a significant difference. From delivering leftovers to those in need to freezing food, shopping smarter, and composting to keep inedible scraps out of landfills, we can all take small steps to curb our emissions.

Here are some of the tips to mitigate climate change from Food waste

Plan ahead and buy only what you need. Going to the store without a plan or on an empty stomach can lead to buying more than we need. To keep your kitchen on track, try to eat leftovers, think of meals you might eat out, and avoid unnecessary purchases by planning your grocery list ahead of time. 

Use your freezer. While there are plenty of benefits to eating fresh food, frozen foods can be just as nutritious. They also stay edible for much longer. A lot of seafood, for example, is frozen before it reaches your supermarket and then thawed and put on display. That means it will only stay fresh for a few days. By buying frozen seafood, you can extend the shelf life of the product considerably. Cooking and freezing food—especially produce—before it goes bad is a great way to avoid having to toss it.

Be creative with leftovers. Before you shop, use the food you already have. Websites like Big Oven, Supercook, and MyFridgeFood allow you to search for recipes based on ingredients already in your kitchen. You can also use apps like Epicurious and Allrecipes to make the most of what's in your fridge and pantry.

Blend, bake, or boil. Fruits and vegetables that are beyond ripe may not look pretty, but that doesn't mean they can't still taste delicious in recipes. Try using your wilting, browning, or imperfect produce to make sweet smoothies, bread, jams, sauces, or soup stocks.

Talk it up. Preventing food waste is the most effective way to shrink its impact on the planet. If we avoid producing food that we don't eat, we can save the land, water, and energy that would have been used to make it. And awareness is a good first step; according to ReFED, educating consumers about food waste could prevent 2.3 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Uganda to adopt new strategy in the fight against Malaria

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

The Ministry of Health is developing new strategy which will support the ministry in the fight against malaria in the country, a, disease which is becoming serious killer.

Under the new strategy   the ministry of health will engage the entire stakeholder ranging from policy makers, Medical and Health experts, Religious Institutions and local governments at various levels.

The National malaria Control Prgramme officer at the Ministry of Health Dr. Jimmy Opiga said the Government registered big achievement in the fight of HIV /AIDs in the country, the same strategy government used should be adopted in the fight of Malaria in the country.

“We are going to adopt new strategy which will bring on board all sector players in the fight of the disease  we hope that if its well embraced  by the general public then Uganda will be malaria free state” The manager said this last week during the Malaria symposium in Kampala.

The mass Action against malaria (MAAM) strategy will replace the current approach being utilized by the ministry, which the technical people at the Ministry says it has not been effective in the fight against malaria since it excludes other players of which some are very crucial especially when it comes to mobilizing the locals in the struggle to fight the diseases.

Commissioner  Dr.Patrick Tusiime at the stall of Troikaa Pharmaceutical this was during the Malaria symposium he urged the private sector to support Uganda inthe fight of Malaria  

“Although Government has been coming up with strategies to prevent malaria our local people on many occasion have not been embracing them because they were not massively mobilized by their local leaders and other Influential leaders such as church and traditional leaders with the MAAM strategy such leaders are going to be integrated into the system to help government in mobilizing the local people towards the fight against malaria” He explained.

Speaking at the same event the Commissioner for National Diseases Control at the Ministry of Health  Dr Patrick  Tusiime  said  the increasing incidences of malaria outbreak in the country has economic Impact on the country’s Economy thus the need to  jointly join the forces towards eliminating  the disease out of the country.

“Uganda will not attain middle Income status  when  the country is still challenged with malaria let us join our efforts  towards eradicating the disease out of the country , Government alone cannot  solve the problem without the support of Development partners , private sector and cultural leaders “ He said.

Commenting on the MAAM strategy,Santosh Singh the Senior Country Manager for Troikaa Pharmaceutical an India based company supplying pharmaceutical products in Uganda, said for the strategy to be effective, government need to invest more resources towards the development of Health Infrastructures and recruits more man power to man the health facilities across the country.

“Infrastructures such  as  medical laboratories are vital in the treating of malaria government need to ensure that labs are in place with genuine testing kits and  qualified staffs to utilize the kits .It’s not  good to put someone on malaria treatment when there’s no proof  of malaria” He said.

The commissioner registering in the  Guest Book at the Troikaaa stalls 

He added by advising government   to sensitize the public about malaria saying the mass campaign will play vital role in behaviors changes which have exposed many Ugandans to Malaria.

“The general public can adopt good social behaviors which can limit their chances of suffering from the disease this has been tested in the fight against Cancer and HIV /AIDS in the country where massive mobilization on behaviors changes has been done by the government “ He added .

Is malaria big Health problem in the country? The country accounts for 4 per cent of malaria cases in the whole world, making it to the top five countries responsible for nearly half of all malaria cases worldwide. Other countries are Nigeria, DRC Congo, Mozambique, and India this ios according to the World malaria report published in2018

The ranking of Uganda at that level shows  that the disease isistill big challenge despite the fact that government has been implementing preventive measure such as the distribution of 24 million mosquito nets nationwide in addition to Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) which involves application of insecticides to the inside of dwellings.

New technology to mitigate Aflatoxins in Grains Launched on the Ugandan market

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

I-Grain a Danish based company in partnership with the East African Grain Council have introduced new technology on the Ugandan market which help grain producers  and exporters  to   mitigate Aflatoxines contamination in Grains.

The new technology Toxi Scrub Detoxification comes at time when almost 56% of the Ugandan grains produced are being infested with Aflatoxin which makes it very difficult for the grains to access International markets.

Under the technology, grains that are infested with aflatoxin undergo processing process where the grains can be treated with Ozone, Once the grains are treated   with Ozone are chemically reconfigured and the aflatoxins are   washed away   this makes the grain safe for Human consumption.

 Commenting on the technology during the Launch recentely at Hotel Africana in Kampala,Gerald Masila the Executive Director of East African Grain Council challenged the Grain Council Members in Uganda to Invest in the technology to ensure that  the grains from Uganda is free from the toxic substance this will open the market gates for the grains  from Uganda both to regional and International markets.

Professor Kaya from Makerere University making presentation about the Aflatoxin situation in Uganda 

“Our members in Uganda should embrace the technology that is the only way to go if they are to compete on the international and regional markets. The East African Grain Council is committed to work with the Government of Uganda to ensure that the technology is embrace by the dealers since Uganda is one of the leading producers of grains in the region”   He said.

 He said for the grain dealers to effectively maximize the economic potentials of the technology. They should pull resources together and set up grain treatment plant that will treat grains that are affected with Aflatoxin  so that the region is fed  with grains that  are safe for human consumption .

 Why the Introduction of the Technology is big game changer in the grain Industry?  The technology will manage the challenges of grain storages and ware housing to ensure that the quality and safety of grains in the storage are well managed. This is motivated by the fact that Uganda is having big challenges of the grain quality produced in the country, information available reveals that the grains are of substandard and health risks to the consumers because of being infested with toxins that are capable of causing diseases such as cancer of the liver.

“Uganda has great prevalence risks of grains that are infested with aflatoxins to the level that are beyond the levels that are allowed by the standard and regulation. According to the research conducted  by Makerere University  indicates that over 56-60% of the grains  produced in Uganda are contaminated with  toxins this makes it not safe for human consumption but people are ending up consuming such grains which is risky decision” Masira  added.

Apart from being Health risky, Aflatoxin Infestation in the grains also is big concern when it comes to trade perception recently when the two Government of Uganda and that of Kenya signed trade deal for Uganda to export 600.00 metric tons of grains to Kenya unfortunately the trade did not happen because when all grains were a aggregated and sampled all the grains failed the test because it was discovered that the grains were highly infested with Aflatoxin and it was rejected in Kenya

Making key presentation on Aflatoxin Professor Kaya   Archileo of Makerere University said East African states should invest more resources towards managing Aflatoxin Infestation in the regional  Grains.

“Most of our Countries in the region depend on grains as their traditional food .That is why it’s Imperative to ensure that the regions is fed with high food that is not risky to their lives “ He said.

Peere Hansen the Director marketing and Sales at i-Grain said the technology which they are introducing in Uganda has been tested in over 15 countries both in Europe and on the African continent   and it has passed the entire test.

“iGrain technology has been adopted by many grain dealers across the world the latest  clients being those in Southern Sudan where we shall be launching  facilities very soon . For the Ugandan grain to access the International markets, the products must be free from any forms of toxics Aflatoxins is one of them and for such  to occur the dealers need to invest in technologies that can mitigate such challenges “ He said.

Speaking on behalf of Government during the Launch of the technology   Godfrey Tukamobona  a senior officer at the Ministry of Trade and Industries  said Government  is committed  to work with private sector especially those  companies that are developing solutions to mitigate technical barriers that hinder trade  between Uganda and the rest of the World.