Kadaga Backs Livestock Farming as NAGRC Distributes Improved Stock in Busoga

Kamuli, Uganda: The Minister of East African Affairs and Kamuli Woman Member of Parliament, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, has assured farmers in Busoga of continued government support through the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB), saying livestock transformation remains central to improving household incomes in the region.

Kadaga made the remarks while presiding over a special livestock distribution ceremony in Kamuli District, where NAGRC&DB handed over 50,000 Kuroiler chicks, 180 grandparent pure-bred pigs, 185 Kasolwe goats, 500 bags of fertility-boosting mineral salts, 20 complete artificial insemination kits with assorted semen, and 20 pure-bred Jersey bulls to organised farmer groups.

The event was held at Kasolwe Stock Farm, a government facility under NAGRC management that has been revitalised into a multi-enterprise centre of excellence. The farm now hosts intensive dairy cattle breeding and multiplication, pig breeding, poultry breeding and hatchery operations, farmed fish production, a fish hatchery and other high-value agro-enterprises.

Kasolwe Stock Farm recently gained national and regional attention for developing the Kasolwe Brown Goat, a new super indigenous breed now in high demand across East Africa. The breed is renowned for its twinning ability, fast growth rate and resilience in harsh climatic conditions, making it one of the most sought-after goats among farmers.

The farm also operates a commercial animal feed production plant with a capacity of five metric tonnes per hour, producing dairy meals, fish feeds, goat pellets, poultry feeds and pet feeds. The facility, launched by Kadaga in 2022, sources raw materials from farmers within Busoga, significantly boosting local livelihoods and creating a steady market for agricultural produce.

Speaking at the ceremony, Kadaga commended NAGRC for repositioning livestock farming as a viable alternative to sugarcane cultivation, which has dominated Busoga since colonial times. She said access to superior breeding stock of poultry, dairy cattle, pigs, goats and fish is opening new income pathways for farmers across the sub-region.

More than 139 farmer groups organised under the NGO Uganda First benefited from the livestock and inputs distributed during the event. Following a guided tour of Kasolwe Stock Farm, Uganda First spokesperson Waiswa Kawali praised the government programme, describing the farm as a catalyst for Busoga’s economic transformation.

“My team and I have seen every enterprise on this farm with our own eyes. The poultry, piggery, dairy and goat genetics here are the best we have seen in Uganda. I call upon fellow youths to visit the farm, access this breeding stock and change their lives. With this facility, there is no reason for anyone to remain in poverty,” Kawali said.

Several farmer representatives applauded NAGRC and Kadaga for consistently supporting farmers with critical technologies and inputs. Leaders from Balawoli Sub-county in Kamuli cited Kasolwe as their most reliable source of super Napier grass seed and high-quality livestock services over the years.

NAGRC’s Community Breeding Coordinator for Busoga Sub-region, Mr. Kaaku, reported that the agency has inseminated more than 10,000 cattle in the last two years. He noted that NAGRC produces and supplies high-quality semen and liquid nitrogen to farmers countrywide, strengthening genetic improvement across Uganda’s livestock sector.

Kadaga pledged to continue lobbying government to fund the completion of the Kasolwe farmer training hostel and skilling centre complex, the final infrastructure projects required to fully operationalise Kasolwe as a national Centre of Excellence in livestock production.