The Parliament of Uganda through the Uganda Parliamentary Alliance on Food and Nutrition Security forum together with CSO partners have launched a week-long campaign to fight child hunger and stunting in Uganda. The campaign, which will run from the 23rd to the 28th of this month,2024 in Kamwenge district where the World Day Against Hunger will be celebratedunder the theme dubbed ‘Beyond the Table’.
The aim is to encourage citizens to grow enough food for their families, especially those that contain nutrients to help children grow well.
Despite Uganda being known as the food basket of East Africa and having abundant arable land, the country still struggles with nutrition insecurity. According to 2022 figures, 29% of children under five are malnourished across the country, with 4% of them severely malnourished. Additionally, 53% of women of childbearing age suffer from anemia due to malnutrition.
They highlighted that poor diet is the cause of infertility and serious diseases like cancer and diabetes in the population. They are calling for the government to have a clear policy to fight hunger and stunting among children by helping people to have enough food in their homes rather than waiting for hunger to fall to whom they will distribute food.
MPs and NGOs have also emphasized the need to change the laws and regulations governing the quality of food for human consumption as the existing ones are outdated. They also want the government to provide food to children in schools.
