UPDF's Food Security Project Flops, Pegs Back Taxpayer By Shs29bn
The project, initiated in August 2022, aimed to address food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Members of Parliament were left stunned after discovering that the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) failed to deliver on a food security project worth Shs29.8 billion.
The project, initiated in August 2022, aimed to address food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
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The UPDF managed to generate only Shs9.1 billion from the project, falling short of the expected Shs37.9 billion. This significant shortfall resulted in a loss of Shs28.9 billion for taxpayers.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the project faced numerous challenges, including late planting of crops and delayed planting hindered optimal crop growth.
The military said high labour costs and manual labour costs per acre exceeded initial estimates.
It further cited erratic weather patterns, drought and flooding negatively impacted crop yields for the failure.
"We encountered several challenges that constrained our target output," a Ministry of Defence representative explained to the Public Accounts Committee.
"These unforeseen circumstances adversely affected our crop yields."
The food insecurity situation in Uganda remains a pressing concern, with many Ugandans struggling to access sufficient food.
Initiatives like the UPDF's food security project aim to alleviate this issue, but successful implementation is crucial to achieving meaningful results.
As the Ugandan government continues to address food security challenges, careful planning and execution will be essential to avoid similar losses in the future.
