The government has dispatched 90 metric tonnes of quick maturing seeds to districts in the Karamoja region.
The seeds worth 800 million Shillings include tepary beans, cow peas, maize, and green gram seeds. They take about 56 days to mature.
State Minister for Agriculture Fred Kyakulaga said that the intervention aims at supporting residents to grow their own food. He said that the donation is an addition to the food relief that was distributed by the office of the Prime Minister last week.
Kyakulaga was on Thursday speaking at the flagging-off ceremony at Equator Seeds head offices located at Namanve Industrial Park, Mukono District.
Dr. Samuel Mugasa the Executive Director of National Agriculture Advisory Services-NAADS appealed to leaders in the Karamoja region to consider the most vulnerable households and make sure that the beneficiaries take advantage of the rainy season to plant the seeds.
The Minister in charge of Karamoja Affairs Maria Gorethi Kitutu attributed the escalating hunger in Karamoja to insecurity cases. She appealed to residents to resume practicing agriculture since the region is now peaceful.
The Member of Parliament for Abim, Janet Akor Moe, also the Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee of Agriculture appealed for additional strategies to redeem the region from severe starvation.
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