A food-safety alarm has been raised in the Teso sub-region after Bukedea County Member of Parliament Hon. Okwere David Beecham warned that a large proportion of grain produced and consumed in the area could be contaminated with aflatoxins.Okwere made the warning following an inspection of grain-processing and value-addition activities at Pale Commodities in Soroti Industrial Park, where he accompanied members of Parliament’s Committee on National Economy to assess agricultural processing operations.The legislator said information presented to the parliamentary team during the visit suggested that nearly 80 percent of grain purchased from within the Teso region was contaminated with aflatoxins, raising concerns about the potential exposure of farmers, traders and consumers to unsafe food.
Aflatoxins are toxic substances produced by fungi that can develop on crops such as maize and other cereals, particularly where grain is inadequately dried or stored in conditions that encourage fungal growth. Prolonged exposure to high levels of the toxins can cause serious health problems, including liver damage and an increased risk of liver cancer.Okwere said the reported levels of contamination should not be ignored and called for immediate government action to establish the extent of the problem. He stressed that more comprehensive testing is needed to determine the safety of grain entering markets and processing facilities.The MP also urged authorities to strengthen support for farmers by improving access to proper drying technologies and storage facilities.
He noted that preventing contamination requires action at the farm and post-harvest stages rather than waiting until potentially unsafe grain has already entered the food chain.He further called for agriculture, food-safety and public-health agencies to work together to investigate the reported contamination and develop stronger safeguards against the circulation of unsafe grain. Public awareness campaigns, he added, would help farmers and consumers understand the risks and adopt safer handling practices.As Teso continues to play a major role in Uganda’s grain production and agricultural economy, Okwere said food safety must remain at the centre of efforts to promote production and value addition. He warned that increasing agricultural output means little if the food reaching Ugandan households is not safe for consumption.
