Remarks by UN Resident Coordinator at High-Level Workshop on Collaborating to Accelerate Food Systems Transformation in Uganda

Acknowledgements:

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries                                      Representatives of Government of Uganda                                                                                                      Distinguished Heads and Representatives of UN Agencies in Uganda: FAO, UNICEF, UNDP, WFP Distinguished Representatives of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in Uganda: USAID Representatives of the Private Sector, Farmers Organizations and Civil Society Organizations Ladies and Gentlemen, participants to this Workshop,

On behalf of the United Nations System in Uganda, I am pleased to join today’s High-Level Workshop on Collaborating to Accelerate Food Systems Transformation in Uganda which is part of the national dialogues in preparation of the UN Secretary General’s Food Systems Summit later this year.

What is the Food Systems Summit? The UN Secretary-General’s Food Systems Summit will launch bold new actions to deliver progress on all the 17 SDGs, each of which relies to some degree on healthier, more sustainable and equitable food systems. It also aims to awaken the world to the fact that we must work together to transform the way the world produces, handles, consumes and thinks about food. This effort is critical if we are to achieve the SDGs during this last decade of action.

In Uganda, the Right Honorable Prime Minister is the national convener for these dialogues supported by line Ministries, the UN and NPA. We appreciate his leadership and use this opportunity to call upon everyone to take action to transform food systems in Uganda. As Uganda undertakes country level dialogues like the one today, it is an opportune time to reflect on our food systems to ensure that they are inclusive, provide an opportunity for those most at risk of being left behind to join sustainable value chains, that they help protect the environment and by helping Uganda achieve the 2030 Agenda we also contribute to national readiness for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.

Today’s workshop represents a unique opportunity to reinforce the alignment between the various food systems related strategies, policies and programs by the Government, UN agencies, development partners, the private sector and civil society. Similar to many countries in Africa, Uganda's food system is facing challenges on several fronts, from poverty and food insecurity to the burden of malnutrition, from low levels of competiveness within the agri-food sector to the impact of climate change on productivity and smallholders’ livelihoods; from population growth and urbanization to the growing pressure on natural resources and ecosystems such as wetlands. Further, as part of its National Development Plan III 2021-2025, the National Zero Hunger Strategy 2020- 2030, the Green Growth Development Strategy and the Agro-Industrialization Action Plan 2021-2025, Uganda is keen to adopt innovative technologies and foster digitalization to propel and modernize its agrifood system using a green growth approach. This is the best possible pathway to lift millions of Ugandans out of poverty and food insecurity, giving them the opportunity to become active stakeholders in modern, environment friendly food systems.

Why is it important? Uganda has identified four critical sectors to spur its socio-economic transformation, the first of which is agriculture. With 65% of the Ugandan population engaged in agriculture, forestry and fishing, of which 71% are women, a dialogue on efficiency, inclusiveness, innovation and productivity is vital. The food systems have two faces that of a woman and a youth. The Five Action Tracks of the Food Systems Summit, include Ensuring access to safe & nutritious food for all; Shifting to sustainable consumption patterns; Boosting nature-positive production; Advancing equitable livelihoods; and Building resistance to vulnerabilities shocks and stresses. Today’s deliberations can reflect on these tracks as we review how to accelerate the socio-economic transformation of Uganda’s food systems.

We cannot aim to achieve more efficient and inclusive food systems without looking into the health implications. The ongoing COVID- 19 pandemic has been a harsh reminder of the need to forge closer links between building resilient food systems and promoting healthy living. We must work closely with farmers and experts to sustain the quality of food production, to improve the postharvest handling, processing and distribution. We must train more Ugandans, particularly youth on new methods to ensure national food systems are environmentally friendly, are inclusive and meet necessary health related standards. We are confident that Uganda can become the Food hub for Africa.

With agriculture contributing 24% of GDP, during these challenging financial times, I am pleased to reiterate our commitment to support the transformation of Uganda’s food systems. On behalf of the United Nations system in Uganda, I reiterate our commitment to support this journey guided by our UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2025 which is our roadmap to support implementation of the SDGs, the NDPIII, the National Vision 2040 and the Africa Agenda 2063.

Before I conclude allow me to share with you some comments from the Youth SDG Coalition on this important discussion: Food systems will always begin with the supply of Quality Seedlings, Pre- Harvest with the right Farm tools. We can embrace Food security systems at Sub-County level with Farmer Cooperatives clustered in strategic Crops like cereals to implement the Pre and Post-harvest technologies. But most Importantly is to have satellite collection points at County or Sub-county levels. In Buganda we used to have "*EKYAGI"* a food storage tied up in the corner, Northerners used to make a big ditch in the compounds for food storage, gradually we lost that culture. We have an opportunity to restore these principles using new technologies to improve food handling at parish and family level. The successful transformation of food systems from farmers to fork will require political will, courage and commitment from all of us. Let us use the Obuntubulamu values to help promote inclusive transformation from households to national level, I wish to invite us all to consider three values: Obwesimbu which means integrity, Obwerufu which means transparency and honesty and, Obumu which means unity.

In the words of Nelson Mandela, It always seems impossible until it is done. Let us work together to create sustainable jobs, improve food production, handling and consumption while helping Uganda achieve its vision of enhanced prosperity for all, together we can make sure no one is left behind.

Thank you for your attention.