Ugandans are big consumers of pork
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) wants Parliament to approve UGX17Bn to establish and renovate piggery and chicken breeding infrastructure on Government ranches in a move geared towards increasing pork and chicken production in Uganda.
The request was made by Bright Rwamirama, Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, while appearing before Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture, to present the Ministry’s 2026/27 National Budget Framework Paper.
“We want to establish and renovate livestock breeding and production, support infrastructure on government farms and ranches. Focus will be on piggery, poultry structures, support rapid breeding and production of high-performing piggery and poultry breeds. Ministry of Agriculture effort will be establishing livestock breeding, paddocks, spray races, intensive direct control, sheds, valley tanks, among others. The estimate here is about UGX17Bn,” Rwamirama said.
He also revealed plans by Government to spend over UGX163Bn to revive the National Seed Company, that was privatised in a move to boost access to better quality seeds among farmers, following several complaints of counterfeit seeds on Ugandan market.
“We want to establish a national seed company, acquire land, recruit staff, set up the national seed company and five regional nuclear seed hubs. As you recall, we had a seed company which we privatized and the thinking is that the seed company was actually to cover the gap. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. So, we are thinking outside the box that using government farms and government facilities, especially land which is semi-idle, we could reduce on this gap and have our company to also cover the gap, especially to the smallholders who cannot easily access these seed and stocking materials. The cost is UGX163Bn,” he said.
Still on the access to seeds, Rwamirama called for the provision of UGX62Bn to be used for the production, multiplication, certification, and distribution of seed and stocking materials, as well as scaling up quality breeders, foundations, and satisfy the seed production by the Uganda Prison Services, UPDF farm, NAGRIC and NARO to bridge the growing gap between the increasing demand for quality seeds and the current supply system in the country.
“This public investment in seed production should address issues of availability, access, high cost, and application of quality seed, which align with both market and ecological requirements. Breeding, multiplication of farmer-preferred high-performance livestock breed and providing them for uptake at a very subsidized price for world’s creation in all region. We shall produce and process animal feed on government farm and ranches to a very high quality and affordable hay, silage and compounded mineral feeds. This cost is estimated to be UGX62Bn,” he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture is also seeking for UGS200Bn for the establishment of 300 solar power irrigation systems for farmer groups and also provide small scale irrigation equipment to farmers. This will also involve the completion of the construction of the five large scale irrigation schemes.
