17 April: Peasants in Uganda demand implementation of agrarian reforms
Today, April 17, is the International Day of Peasant Struggle, a day to celebrate the great work small scale farmers do towards food security. Small-scale farmers feed Uganda and contribute to regional food security. Acknowledging that small-scale farmer in Uganda grow 90% of the whole food consumed, even though they account for over half of the poorest people in the country. This day we also highlight the hardships small-scale farmers suffer around daily as a result of liberalisation. Increasingly, small-scale farmers in Uganda are facing grave crises of large scale land-based investors, climate change, poor markets, exploitation by the private sector, poor policies among others.
Last year on 17th December the 73rd Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas. The Declaration is an international legal instrument. ESAFF Uganda is, therefore, calling on the government of Uganda to domesticate the Declaration. This Declaration will ensure that the rights of small-scale farmers are observed and protected.
We call on the government of Uganda to implement Agrarian Reforms that respect the rights of small-scale farmers. ESAFF Uganda will continue to mobilise small-scale farmers into a movement and amplify their voices. To stand in solidarity and influence policies that favour small-scale farmer’s rights. ESAFF Uganda will continue denouncing any program, policy or law that undermine the rights of small-scale farmers.
ESAFF Uganda on this day stands in solidarity with other members of La Via Campesina to defend agroecology, food sovereignty, and the right to the territory as the foundation of social justice and dignity.
Peasants Rights Now
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Media contact:
National Coordinator
P.O Box 34420 Kampala
coordinator@esaffuganda.org
+256 414 699623