East African Legislative Assembly Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources has pledged to support programmes and projects implemented by Lake Victoria Basin Commission to ensure the East African Community region becomes food-sufficient.
Committee Chairperson Hon. Francoise Uwumukiza said the region was racing against time to fight hunger by the year 2025 and called upon various agencies and partner states to scale up efforts to achieve the target.
Hon Uwumukiza noted that climate change was the biggest barrier to the realization of the stipulated goals and called for joint efforts to moderate the unpleasant effects of the occurrence
She commended LVBC for implementing various projects within the East African Partner States that boost food security.
“As a committee we are happy that the commission has implemented projects that address the critical issues in the society and the basic need that a human being need which is food” She said.
EALA Committee members during the meeting at LVBC headquarters.
Hon. Francois Ngate, EALA Mp representing the Democratic Republic of Congo , “ this region is endowed with large agricultural land which if properly utilized , the 2025 target will be achieved earlier than expected”.
His sentiments were echoed with Hon Gideo Thoar Gapta, EALA Mp representing the Republic of South Sudan.
Hon Gapta said the assembly had already passed a policy on the management of genetically modified organisms (GMO) to come up with resolutions.
Lake Victoria Basin Commission Executive Secretary Dr Masinde Bwire said, “As a commission we are focused to ensure that we implement projects in line with our core mandate and we are happy that millions of lives have been changed through our efforts”.
The legislators together with LVBC Executives later paid a courtesy call to Kisumu deputy governor Dr Mathews Owili at the county headquarters.
Dr Owili said, “We are proud of the work done by LVBC in this county. They have implemented and supervised projects that have been of great benefit to our people and we commend them for that”.
LVBC Executives, Hon Francoise and Kisumu county Deputy Governor pose for a photo
They later visited the new LVBC headquarters site currently under construction and commended LVBC for the progress.
Executive Secretary Dr Masinde Bwire with EALA Mps at the site.
The construction of the second phase is in its 29th week and is set to be completed after fifty five weeks. The committee members praised the LVBC leadership for the supervision of the ongoing construction works.
LVBC headquarters under construction
The committee concluded their working tour by visiting the KISAT waste water treatment plant, owned by Kisumu water and Sanitation Company. LVBC expanded the plant under Lake Victoria Environment Programme ( LVEMP II).
EALA Mps at the Kisumu waste water treatment plant
