Prices are increasing sharply for some of the most basic foodstuffs traded on international commodity markets. The price of wheat has doubled in less than a year, while other staples such as corn, maize and Soya are trading at well above their 1990s averages. Rice and coffee prices are running at 10-year highs, and in some countries, prices for milk and meat have more than doubled. In fact here in Uganda the price of meat, which used to go for 3000 Uganda shillings per kilogram in the last years, is now 5000 Uganda shillings per kilogram.
The rising food prices have escalated the concern of both the local and international community. The difference is in the action being taken by various governments to avert this problem. In Uganda’s case, President Yoweri Museveni has already encouraged farmers to grab this opportunity to reap big in their sales. But the irony in this is the evidence that many farmers are very poor and luck even the improved means of farming for increased produce to be realised.
Generally, traders come directly to farmers to offer a price. Farmers are forced to accept either because of lack of good roads and affordable transportation means. They therefore can only sell locally or they do not know the market rates. This makes them subject to being cheated by the middlemen. Many sell a low price simply because they need the money immediately. This creates a vicious circle where farmers are unable to improve their crop yield by buying better and fertilisers because they are getting very little money for their produce. And with the costs of food rising rapidly all over the world, solutions are urgently needed to not only feed people in the short term, but also provide more in the long term.
It should be noted that Agriculture accounts for 80% of Uganda's occupation and in the previous budget less than 4% was allocated to the agricultural sector. Yet with the big percentage if farming is taken seriously we could perhaps reap big and avoid inflation of food prices.
The former UN secretary has already made a remarkable move by encouraging Africans to learn to cultivate their own food. This is a good initiative but unless proper help is rendered to demonstrate and help farmers from the grass root level, all will be in vain.
In Uganda here the agricultural sector is the most marginalised, little coverage is given to agriculture and even the government policies do not have an acute address to making agriculture a success. Uganda is a country gifted with a relatively good weather and good soils; it therefore has the potential to provide food for both its local market and the international community. In fact l find it very shocking for us to go through the hustle of increasing prices of food stuff yet we could avoid this if agriculture was taken seriously by the government.
