SOROTI – Ugandan farmers have been cautioned against abandoning the indigenous seeds lest they risk losing the seed banks’ hence leading to food insecurity and lack of seeds worldwide.
Recently the Kenyan Government approved the growing of GMO seeds to its citizens a move a section of CSOs in Uganda say may also trigger the Ugandan Government to adopt due to the rapid increase in population growth that has led to food insecurity.
Participatory Ecological Land Use Management PELUM – Uganda is however calling upon farmers to preserve the local indigenous seeds to ensure food security/seed availability for future use.
Eric Kizito of PELUM-Uganda challenges farmers to reject the genetically modified seeds alleging that GMO seeds are harmful to human health and environment.
Kizito emphasized that it’s important to promote local plant species that are climate resilient, rich with food nutrients and tolerant to our local weather conditions will be the answer to sustainable agriculture in Africa.
Samuel Lukaga Musisi, the team leader Community Integrated Development Initiative CIDI – Soroti said that food is key to human wellbeing urging that Uganda isn’t ready for GMO food given the dangers it comes with.
A section of farmers like Grace Asio a from Asuret sub-county, Soroti and Irene Alupo Kumi District noted that the genetically modified seeds are shorted lived and are very expensive to farmers.
Samuel Enangu the Vice Chairperson Soroti District has called upon members of the public to address the issue of increasing population.