Reducing the cost of local innovative solutions will boost food security, mitigate climate change effects: Experts speak in Food security symposium at IUEA.
Drake Nyamugabwa
The International University of East Africa (IUEA) and The Climate Change Action East Africa (CCAEA) have, in the bid to contribute to solutions to the global challenges of climate change and food security, organized The East Africa Food security symposium and Expo addressing various issues including climate change and contemporary dynamics as direct threats to food systems and healthy status of populations from the global and national perspective and strategic response actions.
The theme of the symposium is: "Linking Climate Change To Food Security, Nutrition And well-being."
The East Africa Food security symposium and Expo is hosted by The International University of East Africa (IUEA) in Kansanga Kampala under the leadership of The Residents Director Hassan Alwi in picture below, from 14th -16th October 2022.
IUEA on 7th September 2022 was granted a Charter by the National Council of Higher Education after approval by the President and gazzetted.
Picture: Resident Drector Hassan Alwi gracing the Food symposium on Friday 14th October 2022
According to the vice Chancellor IUEA Prof. Akaezuwa Emeka, in ictue below, the University while hosting the symposium has provided a platform to engage with stakeholders involved in food chains to identify gaps and find local solutions for climate change and food security.
“IUEA is thrilled to provide an opportunity for interaction and engagement among those involved in the food chain systems such as farmers in the identification of gaps and finding local solutions for climate change-driven food insecurity,” he said
The Vice-Chancellor said that though currently there are local innovations by the University toward clean energy, farming innovations like an electric tractor, electric motorcycles, and online farmers’ information platforms, there is need to reduce the cost of producing them to enable large-scale production for the market.
He unveiled the new online platform, ESUS an innovation where farmers can access information climate updates, and farm inputs among others.
“The electronic tractor plus its inventory has got some barriers towards its full implementation and some of them are; Cost, lease/buy, and Operational Expenses. IUEA is delighted to introduce to the general participants of the Symposium our ESUS Platform; an online platform where farmers will access quality seeds, access climate updates, hire electric tractors and also track their produce” he said
Charles Ongoli, Caritas Programmes Coordinator, Kotido applauded innovations at the IUEA "Students of IUEA have amazed me by using solar energy to innovate an electric tractor that saves the environment from pollution."
The Country Representative, FAO Uganda, Mr. Antonio Querido pictured above, expressed commitment to continue working with stakeholders in Uganda to boos technical support in areas of agriculture and fisheries.
“Uganda can have a strong potential of being the food basket of our continent. FAO is committed to continuing working with different stakeholders like The Climate Change Action East Africa to boost technical support to improve the sector, including agriculture production and fisheries among others” he said
Executive Director, The Climate Change Action East Africa (CCAEA) Dr. Tom Okia OKurut, said that whereas in many countries, adaptation to climate change impacts is the main response strategy given the low emissions from the region there is however an observation that the sectorial approaches and environmental perspectives should dominate the discourse.
“Food insecurity linkages to climate change don’t come out prominently and as such, government planning for climate change impact interventions focuses on directly impacted aspects,” he said
The symposium and expo is attracting discussions from the Private sector, Academia, Development Partners, Institutions, Agricultural Sector Energy Sector & Climate Change actors & Env't promoters, and Government and Civil Society Organizations for discussion and knowledge sharing on the aspects of climate, change, food security among others.
You can access the video here: https://t.co/3KXVNRWsnr
