Backyard farming: The one cow per family idea is viable
Regine Mulo calls her heifer Mwesigwa (the trusted one). She is right to do so because this black and white cow has managed to keep a smile on her face. “It gives me 20 litres of milk each day,†she says.
BY JOSHUA KATO
Regine Mulo calls her heifer Mwesigwa (the trusted one). She is right to do so because this black and white cow has managed to keep a smile on her face. “It gives me 20 litres of milk each day,†she says. It is because of these attributes that Mulo brought her cow to the just concluded Annual Farmers Fair in Jinja.
She thinks if every family had a cow, this could improve the standard of living in many homesteads.
She says: “I am sure each family can survive on the one cow as long as they are looking after it very well. My cow has so far given me three calves. The latest one is a male and I intend to sell it at about sh500,000,†she says.
Mulo has managed to reap the fruits from this cow because she looks after it like a child.
At the show, Mulo demonstrated to other farmers how to make a standard cow shade.
“The shade must have the main shelter where the cow spends the night, an exercise yard, a milking area, a calf pen and a resting area,†she explains.
Mulo says she has been able to look after her family from proceeds from this cow.
And now, President Yoweri Museveni is pursuing a programme under which every family will have at least one cow. The President first talked about this programme during his state of the nation address in June. He again talked about it while meeting NRM MPs in Rwakitura on July 17.
According to the 2009 livestock census, there are close to 12 million cows across the country, of which less than one million produce milk.
“The idea is to raise the number of cows to about 36 million,†the President said.
These cows will be able to produce sufficient milk for the various milk processing plants around the country and meet the increasing demand for milk and milk products.
The President says: “Since everyone will be producing milk, the factories will get enough for processing.â€
Send a Cow Uganda and Heifer International have been giving out a cow per family.
Dr Christopher Kyeswa of Send a Cow Uganda, says: “It is true a family can survive on one cow as long as they are looking after it well.â€
The case of Send a Cow Uganda
Send a Cow Uganda is a development non-governmental organisation founded on Christian principles registered in Uganda, affiliated to Send-A-Cow United Kingdom.
Send a Cow Uganda (SACU) partners with farmer communities to impart knowledge and skills to overcome poverty and malnutrition in a sustainable manner through the development of animal production, organic farming and local self-sustaining groups.
Send a Cow has registered a number of achievements over the years. The organisation has created value addition, increased household incomes, improved nutrition and food security, among others, through livestock, sustainable organic agriculture, social development, advocacy and gender.
sendacowuganda.org
Regine Mulo calls her heifer Mwesigwa (the trusted one). She is right to do so because this black and white cow has managed to keep a smile on her face. “It gives me 20 litres of milk each day,†she says. It is because of these attributes that Mulo brought her cow to the just concluded Annual Farmers Fair in Jinja.
She thinks if every family had a cow, this could improve the standard of living in many homesteads.
She says: “I am sure each family can survive on the one cow as long as they are looking after it very well. My cow has so far given me three calves. The latest one is a male and I intend to sell it at about sh500,000,†she says.
Mulo has managed to reap the fruits from this cow because she looks after it like a child.
At the show, Mulo demonstrated to other farmers how to make a standard cow shade.
“The shade must have the main shelter where the cow spends the night, an exercise yard, a milking area, a calf pen and a resting area,†she explains.
Mulo says she has been able to look after her family from proceeds from this cow.
And now, President Yoweri Museveni is pursuing a programme under which every family will have at least one cow. The President first talked about this programme during his state of the nation address in June. He again talked about it while meeting NRM MPs in Rwakitura on July 17.
According to the 2009 livestock census, there are close to 12 million cows across the country, of which less than one million produce milk.
“The idea is to raise the number of cows to about 36 million,†the President said.
These cows will be able to produce sufficient milk for the various milk processing plants around the country and meet the increasing demand for milk and milk products.
The President says: “Since everyone will be producing milk, the factories will get enough for processing.â€
Send a Cow Uganda and Heifer International have been giving out a cow per family.
Dr Christopher Kyeswa of Send a Cow Uganda, says: “It is true a family can survive on one cow as long as they are looking after it well.â€
The case of Send a Cow Uganda
Send a Cow Uganda is a development non-governmental organisation founded on Christian principles registered in Uganda, affiliated to Send-A-Cow United Kingdom.
Send a Cow Uganda (SACU) partners with farmer communities to impart knowledge and skills to overcome poverty and malnutrition in a sustainable manner through the development of animal production, organic farming and local self-sustaining groups.
Send a Cow has registered a number of achievements over the years. The organisation has created value addition, increased household incomes, improved nutrition and food security, among others, through livestock, sustainable organic agriculture, social development, advocacy and gender.
sendacowuganda.org