Inventos argentinos

There are various policy issues important for the development of the dairy sector in the area. The farmers were able to note the following institutional and policy changes:

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 DDA banned use of jerrycans for transporting milk. If they breach this policy and are found transporting milk in jerry cans, DDA confiscates or pours their milk and they lose.

 Disease control policies from MAAIF prohibit them from transporting sick animals or moving animals without movement permit issued and stamped by the area vet.

 They are not supposed to move animals on foot for long distances. These polices are not well implemented or enforced, crafty people transport animals without fulfilling these conditions.

 Farmers are unauthorized to handle or administer vet drugs according to National drug authority regulations but because NDA has failed to restrain them they have continued to handle or even administer vet drugs including injectables.

Kakooge: Livestock breeding and feeding

The discussion was able to bring out the traits the farmers look for in a breed. Farmers noted that important traits of dairy breeds preferred are;

a) big udder

b) heifer has loose flesh at thighs

Common breeds kept in this area are indigenous; Nduli/Nganda 60%, Nyankole 30%, and Karamoja 10% of the total herd kept. There are few crosses and exotics mainly owned by the very rich farmers.

FEEDS AND FEED SOURCES

The area is mainly a rangeland, therefore the most common forages are natural grazing pastures. The farmers have no choice so there is no preferred forages. There are few other sources of feed in the community which are; Matooke, potatoes and cassave peels. A few farmers feed supplements but the only one given is salt.

Forage production constraints in order of importance

Constraint Rank _{Numbers (production)} AFFECTING _Productivity

Water/ extremely dry season 1  

Lack of forages – depend on grazing pastures

only 2 

Coping strategies

Feed/ Forage calendar and estimation of feed sufficiency

MONTH D J F M A M J J A S O N

Season

Feed Type Dry Long Wet Short Dry Short Wet Long

Pastures (grazing) √ √ √

Cassava/potato/

Matooke peels √ √

Tree leaves √

Emerging issues on Feeding

The area is a semi arid, with low annual rainfall; it has a few natural water sources, thus making water availability a very big problem. The farmers and their cattle have to walk long distances to access water sources. However, those farmers who are better off have solved the water scarcity problem by building dams within their farms.

There is no communal grazing land and watering places for the cattle anymore because most of the land has been taken over by private individuals who have fenced it off, thus making pasture availability even more difficult for poor farmers. There are no other forages fed, farmers depend mainly on grazing pastures which are unreliable because of the long draught periods experienced in the area.

Farmers future aspirations related to livestock production and marketing

 Introduction of exotic milking breeds via AI or by pure exotic bulls

 Farmers trained on better Dairy farming practices

 Acquisition of pasture seeds/ better quality pastures

 Increased number of veterinary staff and AI technicians

 Subsidies to farmers on veterinary drugs and vaccines

 Road network in the rural areas be improved and existing ones repaired

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MASAKA MUNICIPALITY, MASAKA DISTRICT

Masaka Municipality was selected as a proposed traditional Hub for milk marketing in Masaka district. Two PRA sites were selected in Masaka Municipality study site; this was based on accessibility to milk market. The first PRA exercise was conducted in Kyajovu parish- Buwunga subcounty, which is far from the milk markets. Farmers have to ferry their milk on daily basis to milk sale points in town/ trading centres or to the milk processing plant. This site was selected because it was perceived to have difficulty in accessing milk market as compared to the other villages that were nearer to the township. The second PRA exercise was conducted in Nyendo parish which comparised of Nyendo Township and its surroundings. This second site was particularly selected because it was perceived to have relatively easier access to milk market as compared to other villages in Masaka Municipality.

Table 33: Masaka: PRA village workshop profile

Country Uganda Type of Hub Proposed Traditional

Hub

District Masaka Site/hub Masaka Municipality

Village (PRA site) c) Nyendo parish

d) Kyajovu parish Date of interview 25

th _{and 26}th _August 2008

Venue for the

workshop c) Lead farmers’ home d) MADDO Milk processing plant

Duration of workshop 1 day for each

workshop

Language of

workshop Luganda Number of participants Site 1

st ₂nd Fem ale 15 10 Male s 6 8 Total 21 18 Overall Coordinator Dr. Mugisha. A Names of

facilitators Group 1: Dr. Maureen Mayanja Group 2: Dr. Baluka Names of note

takers Group 1: Mr. Olivier Mugisha Group 2: Dr. Sylvia Nalubwama

Names of

observers Group 1: Mr. Frank Mugume Group 2: Mr. James Byomuhangi Special

conditions

(weather, local

activities, etc)

On first day, extreme hot weather, meeting was held outside under a shade, constant shifting was experienced as shade kept moving.On second day, one participant dropped out during the first session due to personal reasons.

The team was introduced to the participants by the area extension officer, who later invited the team leader to give the objective of the workshop. The team leader informed participants that the workshop was a baseline survey being carried out with main objectives of obtaining information related to the current situation in dairy sector in the area and to identify farm-level constraints and opportunities to increased milk productivity, improved milk market access and finally to identify potential interventions.

Participants of the workshops consisted of livestock farmers, who are mainly members of Masaka Diocese Development Organisation (MADDO) heifer project. These farmers came from mainly zerograzing production system. These farmers all had cows that were given to them by Heifer Project, and they all supplied part of their milk to MADDO milk processing plant, located in Nyendo Township. Majority of the participants comprised of mainly moderate poor. They were mainly older persons, over 35 years of age, although a few youth attended. Most of the youth are not interested in farming but rather get engaged in activities that generate income quickly like motorcycle transport referred to as Boda, boda and brick making.

Masaka: Village resource profile