Crisis in Kabale District: a case study for food policy reforms

Abstract

There is no shortage of literature on Food crisis in African countries. Yet there is surprisingly little in the way of objectives studies based on local observations so as to get the crisis right before any prescriptions. The purpose of this paper on food crisis in Kabale District is to review the causes in broad context that sheds light on long term development issues of the area and identifying policy prescriptions that may shape the future development. We urge that food crisis is a result of a combination of chronologically endemic factors which are actually specific to the area such as ignorance, low incomes, unchecked population growth, ravages of pests and crop diseases, poor storage facilities, poor transport, and un-organized markets, poor production techniques and lack of appropriate Government's policy regarding food and agriculture. Understanding the implications of these and their impact on development prospects are wide ranging and will entail long term adjustments. We shall therefore attempt to pinpoint what we consider to be the most appropriate response to these problems. In the first chapter is the description of the physical environment to determine the main features that characterize the area and the problem associated with these features. In chapter two, we discuss the cultural background and land use in order to prepare the ground for a discussion of the causes of food crisis. Chapter three analyses the effects of social, economic and political factors that have contributed to the crisis. Chapter four gives an analysis of field survey data and chapter five is a summery of observations and thereafter recommendations. The last part gives the conclusions