RATIN

EALA to address food insecurity

Posted on February, 19, 2018 at 08:52 am


THE East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) said yesterday that it is contemplating tabling a Bill allowing a member State with surplus grains to export to a neighbouring country facing insecurity, but would move carefully and through consensus.

Members of the EALA who visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation here as part of their tour in partner States, say the Assembly’s Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Wildlife is already working on the food security issue.

“The Committee charged with agriculture is working to address food insecurity and low production among member states,” said Dr Gabriel Garang, a legislator from South Sudan. Apparently, he said countries such as Kenya and South Sudan had been hit by low food production which is different to Tanzania and Uganda.

“The new Bill will help stimulate production by putting in place demands for agro-inputs and market availability,” the legislator said, adding that the new law will allow countries with extreme food shortages to seek immediate help from neighbouring countries with excess food.

The MPs, however, called upon youth from partner states to tap the potential of the East African integration. Ms Mariam Usu Yahya, lawmaker from Tanzania was concerned that the number of businessmen benefiting from the integration is still low.

“The community had eliminated all trade barriers of movement of people and this should be a catalyst for majority youth in the region to benefit,” she said.

The legislator’s comments received similar sentiment from Kenyan MP, Mr Abdikadir Aden. The MP said there was a serious civic education crisis about the EAC and EALA in the region. He was, however, quick to note that a number of bills had been enacted by the assembly, but implementation remains doubtful.

Without divulging into details, Mr Aden said the MPs have resolved to push for more implementation of the protocols and resolutions. Minister of Foreign Affairs and EA Cooperation, Ambassador Augustino Mahiga, hailed the legislators for visiting partner states, affirming commitments to support EALA efforts.

The Minister told the MPs that the government had improved trade relations among partner states

Source: Daily News