THE POLITICS OF FOOD AND THE FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER: REFLECTIONS AND LESSONS FROM UGANDA - AFRICAN JOURNAL OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION AND DEVELOPMENT, VOL 14, NO 4

The Guardian's recent publication: "Why are there still so many hungry people in the world?", crucially outlines the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while at the same time, lightly critiquing the achievements and progress made by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). While most tend to stray towards paying close attention to the achievements made, it's just as important to study the potential improvements. It is suggested by the author of the article, Hilal Elver, "that the greatest challenge for the [...SDG's] is to eradicate poverty and hunger while maintaining sustainable food security for all in a crowded and dramatically unequal world". While the MDG's reduced poverty, they essentially failed at improving food security and nutrition because food has not been considered a human right. Elver goes onto suggest that in order for the SDG's to succeed in eliminating hunger, a shift is needed from a development model based on charity and aid, to one based on human rights reinforced by accountability mechanisms. 

Kamara et al., in their journal: "The Politics of Food and The Fight for Hunger: Reflections and Lessons From Uganda", echos Elver's views for better policy, as well the social effects associated with this issue. While Uganda can be seen as having major successes in economic progress. The country still faces substantial developmental issues, with a large percentage being that of hunger and malnutrition. This effectively creates a situation in which threatens the economic stability, essentially unraveling the hard work and progress that has been made. Civil unrest within the country is a large part of the negative externalities associated with food deprivation; and understandably so, when people become desperate they do whatever is necessary to survive. The urban poor are most affected by this, as apposed to the rural poor, who have the ability to farm and live off their land. 
  
The journal is an analysis of how Ugandan politics is being reshaped by the geopolitics of food, taking into consideration the impact of various factors such as:international food markets, population growth and increasing demand for biofuel. Further, the journal also examines other forces driving food insecurity including: changes in the weather, the growing middle-class, government policies, and the increase in urbanization. 

In summary, food insecurity is a threat that can no longer be ignored. By achieving food security, especially for the urban poor, it is an effective way of preventing further civil unrest, violence, and insecurity in Uganda. It is suggested that in order for this to occur, the government must be proactive in creating food independence and national security.


For this journal and others from this issue, click here.