David Kabanda, the Executive Director of Center for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT) has said that agricultural chemicals are entering the Country and people are using them as they see fit.

While speaking on NTV on Thursday, September 7, 2023, on issues concerning increasing food prices and its implications on the population, Kabanda said that, people are consistently consuming small doses of poison, and the gradual accumulation of these contaminants will eventually catch up with the populace.

“We have agricultural chemicals entering this country, and people are using them as they see fit. While we often discuss ARVs, I once operated a substantial poultry farm and discovered that there are drugs given to these chickens, with instructions which claim that the chicken cannot be consumed for 7-21, days,” Kabanda said.

He noted that, the broiler business heavily relies on chemicals, and Uganda lacks a farm gate policy. These birds are often injected with these substances before they reach the market, adding that if Ugandans were aware of this, they would reconsider consuming chicken and eggs produced in Uganda.

He said that, Prices of food will not decrease because the soil has progressively been degraded and also the rising food prices are due to the changing season patterns.

“Uganda is the only country in the world that does not have a food authority, the situation is not only dangerous but illegal. But when we raise these issues, government officials often dismiss us as activists’ talk,” Kabanda said.

Some economists are alluding the increase in food prices to the increase in fuel prices, where a litre of fuel is between Ugx 5000-5300, depending on where one fuels from.