00:00These markets feed the nation.
00:09Fresh fruits, vegetables and grains are sold every day to families across Uganda,
00:15often straight from farm to stall.
00:18They are very popular.
00:20To meet demand for produce that looks and feels good,
00:23and cope with rising costs,
00:25farmers rely heavily on pesticides and chemicals.
00:29Sometimes using them often or in unsafe ways.
00:33And a lack of regulation means the farmers often get away with it.
00:38When customers come to the market,
00:42they usually choose food that looks big and healthy.
00:45Most of it has been sprayed with chemicals.
00:48The organic ones like these sweet potatoes are smaller,
00:52and people don't want them.
00:54As traders, we go with what makes money.
00:57Poor storage and handling add to the risk,
01:00especially in grains where aflatoxins can quietly build up.
01:05These are toxic compounds caused by mold that can contaminate crops.
01:10Many farmers don't understand the dangers.
01:13They believe what they are doing is actually producing safer foods.
01:18What we are worried about is, first of all, the excessive application in the gardens,
01:23and then applying the chemical after the fruits have been harvested, especially tomatoes.
01:30And I'm sure all of you who have purchased tomatoes from markets have seen that white-ish chemical of the tomatoes.
01:38So farmers apply it thinking that it is going to protect the fruits, not to decay.
01:45For many households, price, not safety, is the deciding factor.
01:50Medical experts say long-term exposure to contaminated food can have serious consequences.
01:57It's important for people to know that no one is born with cancer.
02:02But somebody may be born with a cell that has a potential to turn into a cancer cell.
02:07Now, many of these agrochemicals have the capacity to induce the process of this cell turning into a cancer cell.
02:18Uganda records about 35,000 new cancer cases every year, with cervical, breast, and prostate cancers among the most common.
02:27While no single cause is blamed, doctors say food safety cannot be ignored.
02:33Uganda produces enough food to feed its population.
02:36But weak regulation, limited testing, and enforcement gaps mean safety often comes last, turning food into a public health risk,
02:44especially for children and vulnerable communities.
02:47Experts say pressure to harvest quickly, combined with limited farmer training, is driving unsafe practices at the farm level.
02:56These foods that are prone to aflatoxins are highly consumed.
03:02And if they are highly consumed and highly demanded within the country but also outside the country, that means money.
03:10That means money. That means the market. That means revenue. That means income. That means economic but also social. Social development.
03:22So we need to harness these opportunities.
03:25Health experts say stronger enforcement and public awareness are urgently needed.
03:30Because in a country rich in food, hunger may not be a major problem. But food safety certainly is.
03:37But food safety, me 같습니다.
03:38Food safety,ooooo, etc.
03:47лек.
03:48Food safety, Trust,
03:56Food safety, prisoners, etc.
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