The food security in Rakai is worrying following the destruction of crop gardens by floods. Rakai has been experiencing flooding triggered by heavy rains since last month. The floods destroyed several crop gardens and several bridges. Chris Lujumba, the Rakai District production says the floods have submerged over 2000 crop gardens exposing residents to a risk of a food crisis.
He says the most affected gardens are found Kyebe and Kakuuto Sub Counties. The destroyed crops include beans, Irish potatoes and groundnuts largely grown from Kooki County. Lujumba says that the crops are rotting in the gardens yet residents were expecting a bumper harvest this season. He says that because of the destruction the district stands to lose millions of shillings from local revenue collection.
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Benon Mugabi, Rakai LC5 Chairman says that in addition to the destruction of crops, traders cannot access gardens to buy bananas in the district because of the impassable roads. Mugabi says the district needs over 6 billion shillings to repair the six roads badly affected by the floods but there is no money. He appeals to Uganda National Roads Authority to intervene and work Kyappa Kasensero and Lumbugu road to save traders and farmers who are stuck with their goods due to inaccessibility.
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Umar Musoke Kayima, a resident of Rakai says he lost an estimated half an acre of Irish potatoes in Kooki. He says he is worried he may not get money to boost the income of his family as he had expected. Dan Alinange, the UNRA Spokesperson has not yet commented on the destruction of roads in Rakai as he could not pick nor return calls from our reporter.
