Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives for their presentations. Similar to Deputy Penrose, I would like more information on the kind of agriculture in Uganda. There were frequent references in the presentation by the three delegates to small-scale family farmers. Is there commercial farming in Uganda or are all farmers there on a small-scale family farm structure? According to the written statement provided, "the numbers of people living in hunger are again rising, a disproportionate number of whom are small scale family farmers". Is that because farmers are selling what they produce in order to pay bills? Unless there is a famine in a country, farmers can usually feed their families at the very least. Why would family farmers be descending into the hunger trap?

How much food is produced in Uganda? How much food does Uganda import? Has Uganda the economic facility to import food?

Bóthar is an Irish charitable organisation that regularly delivers heifers to these countries and the animals are greatly prized by the families who receive them. Has the initiative been expanded to help develop a dairy industry in Uganda that would, in turn, help people to feed themselves? Are heifers delivered to families on a once-off basis just to enable families to feed themselves? Has the initiative of donating heifers been expanded to grow the dairy industry?

I have a serious lack of knowledge about the agricultural structure in Uganda. Obviously poverty in the region is extremely worrying. The objectives are welcome but I would like to hear more background information. Earlier it was mentioned that 48,000 people are working on various projects. How many smallholder farmers are there in Uganda? Is there any commercial farming activity in the country? If so, what quantity and type of product are produced? What is the food shortfall in food production that necessitates imports if the country had the wherewithal to purchase food?