Uganda piggery

In recent months, Livestock and Fish value chain assessment activities have been carried out in Masaka district as part of the Uganda Smallholder Pig Value Chains Development (SPVCD) and Safe Food, Fair Food (SFFF) projects.

On 22 April 2013, Pastor Lukwago, one of the farmers approached by the project team, was unfortunately unavailable to meet the team when they came to his house to collect blood samples from his pigs and administer a house hold questionnaire. However his wife shared the letter below, which we share here as it captures the project work so well. The emphasis on different topics by the author of the letter is retained.

A SMALL REPORT ON MY PIGGERY PROJECT – VISION BEARER (PASTOR C.B.M. LUKWAGO)

You are most welcome to our “Small Holders Piggery Project”. Due to prior commitments i.e. attending a Believers Homecoming Fire Conference in Kampala starting today, Monday 22nd till Friday 26th April 2013, I have not been able to meet you in person. However, my dear wife and the two work helpers will be able to take you around on my behalf.

Vision:

Even before the “SPVCD” came in, my aim was and still is to rear PIGS for the purpose of adding extra income to the family. My vision was boosted by the introduction of “SMALLHOLDER PIG VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT” AS HIGHLIGHT BY Dr. Mayega, the District Veterinary Officer at our Day Conference on 30th November 2012 at Sennyange Public School [this was part of the project’s initial scoping activities].

In general our problems still persist:

1. Construction of permanent/ temporary structures (ours are currently TEMPORARY as we struggle to mobilize funds for permanent structures

2. We need as many LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT courses
a. To be able to cure WORMS, SWINE FEVER n’ebirwadde ebirala ebizigwira [roughly translated as ‘any other diseases affecting pigs’]
b. To address proper FEEDING and livestock HYGIENE
c. To identify proper BREEDS i.e. PROLIFIC, QUICK MATURING and MANAGEABLE BREEDS: this is still a problem
d. To identify MARKETABLE breeds both for consumption and multiplication.

3. RECORD KEEPING: proper keeping of RECORDS is still a problem to most of us yet it is very important to assess GAINS/LOSSES. To most of us this is due to ignorance and/or we assume we don’t have time.

4. MARKETING: this is negotiable (between the producer and the buyer). In most cases the producer is cheated. Marketing is not ORGANISED. PORK consumption is gaining momentum though.

It is my wish and prayer that the LINKAGE between the OMULUNZI [livestock farmer], OMUSUUBUZI [businessman], TRANSPORTER and CONSUMER be established and strengthened; and the know-how PIG TECHNOLOGY be stepped up by the EXTENSION SERVICES.

Thank you. Come again,

Pastor C.B.M. Lukwago (Farmer)