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TRANSPORTATION of livestock from far-flung parts of the country to Kampala should cease soon when abattoirs are constructed in the countryside.
TRANSPORTATION of livestock from far-flung parts of the country to Kampala should cease soon when abattoirs are constructed in the countryside.
This is long overdue. The state minister for animal husbandry has said the government will set up modern facilities upcountry where cattle will be slaughtered, and from whence the meat will be transported to far away destinations.
This will not only make the beef trade more efficient and therefore profitable for dealers and cheaper for consumers, since livestock is more expensive to transport over long distances, but also cut the suffering that the cows endure in our primitive and cruel animal transport.
But beyond the abattoirs, there is a bigger opportunity. We could do much more than establish slaughterhouses if we took meat processing to the next level. Uganda has the potential to produce more meat than can be consumed locally, certainly in its fresh state. The export potential exists. Can someone – government, private investor – examine the feasibility of meat processing and canning plants in the two main cattle keeping zones of Teso-Karamoja and Ankole-northwest Buganda? There used to be a meat processing factory in Soroti, which went out of business in the wake of insecurity and economic collapse. Can it be revived? Opportunity beckons.
SOLAR power is taking root as an alternative energy source in many parts of the country. Vice President Gilbert Bukenya has joined this cause by demonstrating the dangers of using the more traditional wick oil lamp (tadooba). Quite apart from the health risks, the ever-increasing cost of petroleum on the world market means that consumers will always have to pay more, even the humble paraffin user. The national electricity grid will take a long time to reach all corners of the country. Solar power, which is a one-off expenditure, offers a true alternative.
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This is long overdue. The state minister for animal husbandry has said the government will set up modern facilities upcountry where cattle will be slaughtered, and from whence the meat will be transported to far away destinations.
This will not only make the beef trade more efficient and therefore profitable for dealers and cheaper for consumers, since livestock is more expensive to transport over long distances, but also cut the suffering that the cows endure in our primitive and cruel animal transport.
But beyond the abattoirs, there is a bigger opportunity. We could do much more than establish slaughterhouses if we took meat processing to the next level. Uganda has the potential to produce more meat than can be consumed locally, certainly in its fresh state. The export potential exists. Can someone – government, private investor – examine the feasibility of meat processing and canning plants in the two main cattle keeping zones of Teso-Karamoja and Ankole-northwest Buganda? There used to be a meat processing factory in Soroti, which went out of business in the wake of insecurity and economic collapse. Can it be revived? Opportunity beckons.
SOLAR power is taking root as an alternative energy source in many parts of the country. Vice President Gilbert Bukenya has joined this cause by demonstrating the dangers of using the more traditional wick oil lamp (tadooba). Quite apart from the health risks, the ever-increasing cost of petroleum on the world market means that consumers will always have to pay more, even the humble paraffin user. The national electricity grid will take a long time to reach all corners of the country. Solar power, which is a one-off expenditure, offers a true alternative.
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