Uganda, India partner on sustainable dairy skills development

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The Government of India, through the Indian High Commission in Uganda, has embarked on a two-week training programme for officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) on managing dairy cattle and the dairy value chain in the face of climate change.

Officials undergoing training in Climate-Smart Agriculture, dairy, and the related value chain include staff from the Animal Health Department, the Department of Animal Production, the Department of Agricultural Infrastructure, Mechanisation and Water for Agricultural Production, as well as district local government staff from the Department of Production. The programme ends next week.

The training, which is taking place at the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) in Hyderabad city, Telangana State, India, is focusing on the following areas: climate-smart agriculture in dairy farming, the contribution of the dairy sector to climate change mitigation measures, dairy animal manure, waste and emission management, strengthening climate-resilient agriculture through livestock integration, climate change adaptation measures for sustainable dairy farming, and housing and shelter design for climate-resilient dairy farming.

Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) staff receiving instructions during the training at the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) in Hyderabad city, Telangana State, India. (Courtesy photo)

Other areas of interest include the impact of climate change on the dairy sector, nutritional management of dairy animals in various climatic conditions, promotion of agri-entrepreneurship for sustainable development of the dairy sector, climate risk management and finance, safeguarding dairy animal health in a changing climate, weather forecasting and climate advisory services for dairy farmers, and climate-resilient breeds and breeding techniques, among others.

Currently, the ministry is implementing the Uganda Climate-Smart Agricultural Transformation Project in 69 districts with the aim of increasing productivity, market access and resilience of selected value chains, including livestock, within the project area.

India is one of the world’s largest milk producers, contributing 24.64% of global milk production in 2021–2022.

The size of India’s dairy industry reached 16,792.1 billion in 2023, contributing 5% to the national economy and employing 80 million dairy farmers directly.