application of food technology in low income countries
Zero Hunger. This is the second thematic area that the global community seeks to attain by 2030. Uganda which is as an agro-based economy is one of the countries that aspires to realize this goal most especially as a country of low income. I believe that application of food technology has a large role in harnessing the vast opportunities the nation has as a producer of agricultural food products. There is a knowledge gap whereby despite most of the population being employed in agriculture, little has occurred to advance the technology and methods used. The Uganda Food and Nutrition Policy (UFNP) to promotes the production of adequate, safe, high quality and nutritious food with long shelf life for local regional and international trade in the area of food processing and preservation. One of the road maps of realizing this is through the promotion of research findings based on appropriate food technologies.
Knowledge is the difference between what we have been doing and what needs to be done. There is a need for the upcoming young creatives to be equipped with modern knowledge and techniques. Obtaining a Master of Science in Food Technology and Quality Assurance at Reading University is my quest for knowledge which in turn will enable me to fulfill my lifelong dream to join academia in the capacity of a lecturer. A wise man once said that if you want to go fast, go alone but if you want to go further go with someone. I want to use my experience in influencing and imparting this knowledge to my peers and the next breed of youth.
I am not only passionate about obtaining knowledge but also its creation. As a lecturer one outcome of my enhanced research skills obtained will be conducting of various research studies to build the knowledge base and through this, I can also steer research into pertinent areas that are vital in our bid to achieve food sustainability. My research findings will contribute to the limited knowledge base which will lay a foundation for appropriate interventions.
The measure of my outcomes will be through my own research and that of the students I will be required to supervise. I also intend to establish an informal online platform that assembles quality studies that have a vital bearing in marrying food technology to future food sustainability in the Ugandan setting. This is important in making this information available to these young people who are easier to reach online.
The primary beneficiaries of my study will be students who choose to pursue this field of study and other industry stakeholders like Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and the Ministry of Health (MOH).