When poor farmers are forced to sell their crops and starve

Fifty years ago when Uganda was still a farmers' paradise, soils would yield a bountiful harvest. Not anymore. Poor farming methods and the growing population have taken a toll on the soil. Changes in the global economy have also ushered in a new order, where any kind of food can be sold. Cotton growing is no longer profitable and farmers have to sell food crops like maize, groundnuts, millet and cassava to survive.

Under the British colonial administration, 1900-1962, there was a bye-law that required every house to keep food in a granary. The farmers mainly grew cotton, coffee and tea for sale. Bubaali (eastern Uganda) was once a thriving cotton-producing area, says Jennifer Wasswa, 42. "I have lived here all my life. The yields are no longer good. We have resorted to selling groundnuts and maize to survive."

Wasswa's neighbour, Damalie Mugudi, says she does the same - to pay fees for her children. "When I harvest 50 sacks of groundnuts, I sell 25 of them. I do not labour transporting them because buyers find us here," she says. The bulk of these food crops find their way to capital city Kampala and to neighbouring Kenya. This food crops-trading practice has been blamed by some experts for the food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Some farmers sell the bulk of their food, leaving little or none for home consumption.

Richard Mugwiri, an agricultural extension worker, sees nothing wrong with the practice. "We are moving away from subsistence farming. We now look at farming to earn money. This is the only way to fight poverty," he says.

"The issue is not whether people should sell food or not," says Henry Kizito, the director of an NGO promoting agro-business. "The issue is increased food production, good post-harvest handling to minimise loss and value addition. We encourage farmers to produce surplus for sale because they need money. We also help them find good markets."

The country director of Sasakawa Africa Association, Michael Sakara, however, says it is simplistic to peg Africa's food security on underproduction. "The problem has global and national dimensions. It must, therefore, be solved in a holistic manner. We must address access to international markets, quality production and sustainable supply. Agriculture must be made to be profitable for farmers in Africa to ensure food security."

New Vision