The Food Rights Alliance (FRA) has urged the Bagisu community to protect and preserve their indigenous foods and cultural food systems.
Speaking at the world food day celebrations held yesterday at Northern City division Hall in Mbale leaders from the Alliance and Consent Uganda said many traditional foods that define Bamasaba's culture are being abandoned for fast foods and exotic crops, putting food security and cultural identity at risk.
The Executive Director of Food Rights Alliance, Agnes Kirabo, said indigenous foods like Kamalewa (edible Bamboo )are not just food but part of Bagisu's heritage and medicine.
"For decades we have made noise about conserving indigenous food varieties. Many of them are resistant to diseases and climate change. If we lose them, we lose our culture and our health," Kirabo said.
She noted that policies that promote indigenous foods must be integrated into national development, including strengthening informal seed systems that keep traditional seeds alive.
The Alliance called on Inzu Ya Masaba Cultural Institution, through its agriculture arm, to lead the revival of traditional foods, community seed banks and cultural food education for the youth.
Maimuna Nakadama, Assistant Town Clerk, Northern City Division, said bamboo is one of the main foods that identify the Bamasaba and must be preserved because, worldwide, it is associated with Bugisu.
"We cannot talk about Bugisu culture without food. Food is identity. We must teach our children how to grow and cook our foods,"Nakadama said.
The event ended with an exhibition and testing of different traditional foods from Masabaland, with calls for Ugandans to eat local to stay healthy and preserve biodiversity.
However Henry Kimera the Executive director at Consent Uganda has Tasks Locals on Maintaining Clean Air as they Consume Good Food .
Kimera urged that locals in Masabaland and across Uganda have to maintain clean air even as they focus on consuming healthy traditional foods.
Kimera added that good food alone is not enough if the air people breathe is polluted.
Kimera noted that air pollution from charcoal burning, car emissions, dust, burning rubbish and deforestation is affecting the health of Ugandans, especially women and children who cook using firewood.
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