The US and Uganda governments have signed partnership to improve agriculture productivity and ensure food security as well as reduce poverty in the country.
The partnership will be implemented through the US Feed the Future initiative programme which is funded by USAID.
Under the Declaration the two Governments will Work together to address the key factor that are contributing to hunger in some parts of the country. The signing of the Declaration indicates the good Working relationship between the Two Government towards fighting poverty through the Agriculture sector.
The commitment documents were signed by Uganda’s Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda and the US Ambassador to Uganda Deborah R. Malac at the Serena Hotel Kampala on Monday.
Dr Rugunda applauded the US government through its development Agency USAID for supporting Uganda’s agriculture sector
“US government has supported the Government of Uganda towards the development of the agriculture sector through financing Research in the sector. For us (Uganda), agriculture sector is key because it employs majority of Uganda through the various value chains in the sector. We hope that through this initiative of the Feed the Future, more positive results will be achieved especially on ending hunger and poverty,” he said.
He noted that for hunger and poverty to be reduced in the country, more players including government and the development partners such as USAID need to get involved. The partnership which was signed will support agricultural programmes that will see the sector grow for the next Five years.
The five years Feed the Future programmes will be implemented following guidelines that the two parties have developed and Agreed on to ensure accountability for the resources which the US government will Investing in the programme
The key principles guiding the implementation of the programme include adhering to mutual accountability principles when developing public investments and assistance plans, using the national plan for agriculture and food security investments to inform public investments and assistance, among others.
Malac assured the government that her country will continue collaborating with Uganda through supporting programmes that can uplift the local people from hunger and poverty.
“The US Government, through our various development Agencies, is committed to ensure that local people live decent lives and the only way to achieve that is though working with the government to support those initiatives,” she said.
To ensure that Uganda is food secure, the US government launched the Feed the Future programme in the early 2011 which has supported Uganda to enhance food security and improved nutrition.
The US government developed the Global Food Strategy /Feed the future country plan for Uganda. The plan provides a framework for the US food security and nutrition programming through Feed the Future in 38 districts in Uganda.
BY SAMUEL NABWIISO
