Antonio Querido Departs FAO Uganda After Six-Year Tenure, Heads to Cameroon

After completing his six-year tenure in Uganda, Antonio Querido is leaving the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Uganda where he has been serving as the Country Representative.

Antonio announced on Thursday during a media engagement in Kampala that he would be moving to FAO Cameroon in two weeks, in the same capacity.

He highlighted some of the achievements the team has made since he arrived in Uganda.

“After six and a half years of serving and working closely with a great team while also receiving support from various institutions that have helped us, my tenure in Uganda is coming to an end. Now, I’ve been called to serve in another country before my retirement. Cameroon is my next post,” said Antonio.

He noted that when he arrived in 2018, the FAO Uganda portfolio was about $14 million. However, this has since grown to over $70 million.

“Between 2018 and 2024, we have implemented over 103 projects, with total combined resources of over $372 million. So, we have seen great progress.”

He explained that FAO works to ensure agriculture remains central, improves production, provides better nutrition, and protects the environment. He added that the organization has structured its strategic interventions into four pillars.

“We work for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life—leaving no one behind. Under better production, we ensure efficiency in food production while addressing consumption needs. We also focus on the sustainability of resources, especially in the face of climate change,” said Antonio.

He added that FAO has made significant progress in forestry, fisheries, policy, food security, animal production, and climate change, among other fields.

Julius Twinamatsiko, the project coordinator for the Uganda Multi-Sectoral Food and Nutrition Security Project at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, said that in partnership with FAO, they are working towards ensuring a hunger-free, food-secure, and nutrition-secure world, continent, and country—Uganda.

He explained that the project is a tripartite initiative implemented by the governments of China and Uganda in collaboration with FAO.

“The project introduces and implements technologies of mutual interest between Uganda and China. Technologies from both sides are shared and tested. In Luwero, we have an integrated technology transfer base, including an industrial park implementing some of the introduced technologies,” said Twinamatsiko.

He stated that the project focuses on agriculture as a whole, including crop varieties, livestock breeds, and fisheries. Additionally, they address areas like biogas and agro-machinery, which are essential technologies for agriculture.

In terms of commodities, the project focuses on rice, foxtail millet, sorghum, and chili. There is also a variety of vegetables and fruits, while for livestock, they are looking at big-ear goats.

Uganda is adopting and testing some agricultural technologies from China, and if successful, the ministry and its partners will scale them up for food security, income generation, and nutrition. The project also includes poultry, dairy, and aquaculture, where they have introduced rice-fish culture.

“Our traditional system separates rice farming and fish farming—rice is grown in fields while fish are raised in ponds. However, to maximize land use, we are integrating both. Fish benefit from the rice environment, and rice benefits from the fish, leading to increased production of both. This technology, demonstrated at Kajansi Fisheries, NARO, has been successful, and we now aim to scale it up for farmers,” he explained.

The funding arrangement targets around 14,000 farmers, 40% of whom are women and youth, across different districts.

Meanwhile, to tackle climate change, FAO has introduced various seed and animal varieties in different districts to combat food insecurity.

Dr. Emmanuel Zziwa, the national team lead for the climate change program at FAO, said they have supported farmers with climate-resilient animal genetics and feed resources.

They have introduced local chicken incubators in Katakwi, Kaberamaido, and Kalungu. Mubende goats have been introduced in Nebbi, Adjumani, and Moyo. Improved pig farming is being practiced in Amudat and Kalungu, while apiary projects have been established in Zombo, Nakasongola, Arua, Moyo, and Koboko.

With the introduction of community-based multiplication and dissemination of multi-stress tolerant crop varieties, yields have more than doubled, and farmers’ incomes have increased.

Uganda is one of the countries facing severe climate change challenges, such as droughts and El Niño rains, both of which negatively impact agriculture and leave many farmers struggling.