Away from the shores of Lake Victoria, aquaculture is hailed as the blue revolution for Uganda’s fisheries sector. Yet, beneath the shimmering surface of this growth lies a silent crisis. The very practices designed to fatten fish are fattening the bills for farmers and loading plates with invisible threats. As we pursue the human Right […]
There is a scent that defines the evening meal in many Ugandan homes: the rich, woody aroma of smoked fish cooking in groundnut paste, blending with the earthy steam of freshly pressed matooke. For the Baganda, a dish of empuuta (smoked Nile perch) or mukene (silver cyprinid), painstakingly stripped and mashed into a savoury relish […]
Since June, eighteen people have reportedly died from hunger in Kotido. Over 5,000 hectares of crops worth 200 billion shillings were destroyed. Children foraging for gold instead of attending school. Families surviving on beer remnants called “Adakai.” This is Karamoja in 2026. And it is utterly preventable. The Uganda National Meteorological Authority saw this coming. […]
In Uganda’s hospitality sector and among the middle- and upper-class homes, the refrigerator is a cornerstone of food storage. Yet, common practices in our homes and hotels can turn this preservation tool into a breeding ground for illness. A study in Kampala found that 56.7% of refrigerators were contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus above detection limits, […]
That damp, unassuming sponge sitting by your sink might be the most dangerous item in your kitchen. Picture this: you have just enjoyed a delicious meal. You wash the utensils with your trusted sponge, rinse, and stack them on the drying rack. Job done, right? Wrong. That sponge, warm, moist, and teeming with food particles, […]
For millions of Ugandans, weekends are synonymous with the aroma of roasting pork at local joints. Uganda ranks top in pork consumption in East Africa, making this delicacy a cherished part of our social fabric. But as we commemorate World Food Safety in June, we must ask: Does the safety and dignity of this beloved […]
On this Day of the African Child, we remember the brave students of Soweto who demanded a better education. But what good is a classroom if a child is too hungry to learn? Today, 307 million Africans, one in every five, go to bed hungry. But let’s make this personal. Imagine a classroom of 30 […]
Currently, 66% of over seven million primary school children in Uganda spend their school day without a meal. Those who do eat often receive inadequate nutrition. This is more than neglect; it is a violation of the fundamental right to food. The Cost of Inaction The 2025/2026 budget earmarked UShs 11.4 trillion for human capital, […]
The ink on the amended Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, is barely dry, but Uganda’s civil society already feels the chilling breeze. Parliament has passed it. The President’s pen hovers. For organisations like ours, scrutinising barriers and enablers of an inclusive and equitable food systems transformation, such as land governance, climate change financing, agrochemical regulation […]
Thirteen years ago, I stood at a crossroads. I had crystallised a vision to institutionalise the Food Rights Alliance, long after 15 years of its operation as a loose network, into an institution that would strengthen food systems governance in Uganda and beyond. But there was no roadmap, no formal incubation system, no pipeline for […]
