BY E NAMU
Government working with farmers and other stakeholders supported by the African Union -Interafrica Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), want to see the feed and Fodder industry prioritized for improved services.
According to the group the feed and Fodder industry is facing a number of challenges mainly due to lack of coordination, existing absolute laws and among other issues.
Under the Resilient African Feed and Fodder System (RAFFS)Project, the stakeholders want to see the sector organised in Uganda and at continental level to be able to deal with the pending challenges.
Dr Annie Kigezo, the senior Programs Officer African Union -Interafrica Bureau for Animal Resources -AU-IBAR, explains that an assessment carried out last year across the six countries on the project,exposed several challenges in the livestock feed sector value chain.
Among the challenges identified is the disintegration of the farmers and those involved in the value chain, wastage of resources, poor storage which both contibute to afratoxines .
On his part the Commissioner Animal Production Dr. Theophilus Mwesige while officiating at the Resilient African Feed and Fodder Systems Project conference in Kampala ,he says that Uganda as a country has the potential to supply and satisfy both the local and regional demand for feed and Fodder.Dr Mwesigye also amplifies the need to coordinate the value chain of the sector players.
“When you look at the current situation we have in Uganda,we have enough feed resources but the location of these resources is also a factor, you find that in one region their is enough and in the other region their less ”
According to Dr Kigezo, the five year project will focus on the priorities for the specific country in the feed and Fodder sector.
She notes that the project intends to support the implementing countries come up with a multi stakeholders platform that will bring together the entire value chain of the feed and Fodder sector hence working together to deal with the existing challenges.
Meanwhile Dr Turyahilikayo Silver, the Extension and Milk procurement Manager Jesa Farm, says that the value chain actors need to ensure that the animal feeds conform, free from aflatoxins to avoid risking animals and market rejection.
Turyahilikayo goes ahead to note that with the climate change issues, farmers need to be supported to adopt fodder conservation like hey,silage hence avoiding things like aflatoxins.
Denis Maholo Mulongo, the Acting assistant commissioner Animal Nutrition says that the sector growth stands at 8.3% however, with the capacity to double the diary sector in the area of export revenue generation if transformed on both quality and quantity.
In her remarks Dr.Kigezo indicates that forming a Multi stakeholders platform specific on Feed and Fodder in Uganda will not only organize the sector but will also help it to have a formidable force for a commercial from the dominating substance sector.