The current food shortages in the country has left many people starving with a majority of homes having only one meal a day or no meal at all as they try to cope with the situation of a prolonged drought in most parts of the country according to media reports.

Minister of Agriculture, Vicent Ssempijja.

Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, earlier this week was forced to rush to the Teso sub region to assess the situation.

Sempijja said he was in Teso for a fact finding mission on what exactly has caused the drought in the area where many people are starving because of food crisis.

The minister visited residents of Omariai Parish, Katine Sub-county in Soroti district and told him of the hard hitting famine in the area which needs government intervention.

Jacinta Achen and Joseph Okiring residents of Omariai told the minister that, several families are now having one meal a day while the less fortunate ones have been compelled to eat tree leaves.

Achen said that the starvation has affected mostly the HIV/AIDS patients and their babies.

Teso sub region is among the places facing food shortage in the country.

Authorities and residents of the sub-region blame the food shortage on drought which dried up all crops in districts of Soroti, Serere, Amuria and Katakwi.

Ssempijja said that cabinet on several occasions has received reports on the drought in Teso though they had not received evidence to that effect, adding that his findings will be given to the cabinet and they respond accordingly.
He also promised to give them quick maturing seedlings when the rains start.

Parliament while debating about the drought situation before the recent recess passed a resolution after a motion moved by the Member of Parliament for Ngora district, Jacqueline Amongin, urging government to urgently give emergency food to areas in the country which are severely hit by food shortage as a result of drought.