Assessment underway of smallholder pig value chains in Masaka District, Uganda

A group of eight facilitators are assisting the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in the Assessment of the Smallholder Pig Value Chains Development (SPVCD) project in Uganda.

The team comprises four graduate students from Makerere University (two from animal science, one from agricultural economics, and one from veterinary medicine); one experienced livestock extension agent; an enumerator who worked in a previous pig health project, and two farmer leaders.

Before going to the field, the group was trained in the use of the tools used by the SPVCD and the Safe Food, Fair Food projects, as well as on Focus Group Discussion (FGD) facilitation methods. Training also included practical training in Wakiso District. All facilitators are at least bi-lingual English/Luganda, as the latter is the language spoken by farmers participating in three of the districts covered by the SPVCD Project (Masaka, Kamuli and Mukono).

The group has now completed one week in Masaka district, under the supervision of Emily Ouma and Michel Dione of SPVCD with the support of Lawrence Mayega and Eve Luvumu from the Agricultural Division of the district government, as well as local extension agents. In each district, the FGDs are conducted with 40 pig farmers, randomly selected from lists provided by local extension and village authorities, while adhering to gender balance . At the same time, the project team and local coordinators are also interviewing key informants in each village.

By ILRI/Danilo Pezo, Project Coordinator – Smallholder Pig Value Chain Development in Uganda

Read about the Livestock and Fish CGIAR Research Program focus on Uganda here