National Agricultural Advisory Services

The biggest research component of Dairy under the Eastern African Agricultural Productivity Project (EAPP) is being handled by the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) which has the centre of excellence for this product. 

Uganda is addressing some its major constraints through the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) and the National Animal Gentic Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC and DB).

Sheila Butungi the EAAPP Focal Person at NAGRC and DB points to low yielding breeds as one of the major constraints’ in Uganda’s dairy sector.

This constraint is being solved with artificial insemination. With funds from EAAPP NAGRC and DB has purchased and is keeping at least 134 different improved animal breeds that include the Jersey, Ayrshire, Guernsey and Friesian for artificial insemination and embryo transplants.

Embryos are fertilised within the improved animal breeds and they are then moved to local cattle that act as surrogate mothers. The centre uses sexed semen to get heifers that are then distributed to farmers thus increasing the available improved breeds.

The improved cattle is super ovulated to create man ovaries for EAAPP money has also made it impossible for the centre to purchase a bigger nitrogen plant that will produce 89 litres per hour of the gas. The plant currently at NAGRC and DB produces 10 litres of nitrogen per hour.

Nitrogen is used freezes semen for storage it is moved to different farms across Uganda. EAAPP money is also being used to equip extension service providers to offer artificial insemination services to farmers. Uganda used to have artificial insemination services at very district but this died with privatisation and decentralisation.

The EAAPP money will also be used to purchase semen storage and artificial insemination equipment for private agriculture extension service providers. Government will however not pay the extension service providers but it’s expected that farmers interested in artificial insemination can pay for these services. Click for more

Reviving Wheat Production in Uganda

Uganda’s wheat production is starting to receive a boost after over thirty years of neglect. Researchers at Buginyanya Zonal Agriculture Research and Development Institute (ZARDI) are researching for wheat varieties that would mature faster in the mountainous areas where it’s grown currently and but varieties that would thrive in flat lands are also being developed.

Dr William Wagoire a Wheat Research Scientist says Uganda currently produces over 30,000 tonnes of wheat in mountainous areas around Mt. Elgon in the East, Mt.

Muhabura in the South West and in Mwizi and Buhweju in Western Uganda. He explains that wheat production reduced when President Idi Amin took over as the government could no longer maintain the machines used in the growing and harvesting of wheat. Click to view