The Government is set to support the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB) in establishing and strengthening regional poultry and fish hatcheries as part of efforts to expand access to improved genetics and boost livestock and aquaculture production across the country.
The planned investment is expected to increase the availability of improved poultry chicks and quality fish seed to farmers, particularly beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM), while reducing the distance farmers have to travel to access improved breeding materials.
The initiative forms part of NAGRC&DB’s plans for the 2026/2027 financial year, which focus on expanding access to improved animal genetics, increasing livestock and fish productivity and supporting small holder farmers to transition from subsistence production to commercial agriculture.
The plans were unveiled during a two-day strategic retreat held in Entebbe on August 6 and 7, where the NAGRC&DB Board of Directors and management reviewed priorities for the coming financial year.
The retreat was anchored on the National Animal Breeding Strategy and Action Plan, which seeks to commercialise animal breeding, improve livestock productivity and conserve Uganda’s indigenous genetic resources across the dairy, beef, goat, pig, poultry and fish value chains.
NAGRC&DB Board Chairperson Ben Anyama said the agency would intensify mass breeding and multiplication programmes to increase the availability of high-performing and climate-smart breeds.
“The National Animal Breeding Strategy is focusing on enhancing commercialization of breeding, boosting livestock productivity, and conserving indigenous genetic resources across dairy, beef, pigs, poultry, and fish value chains,” Anyama said.
He said the strategy would support multiplication of high-yielding breeds while ensuring that improved genetics become accessible to farmers at different levels.
“This is not just about increasing numbers; it is about ensuring that every farmer, regardless of scale, can access superior genetics,” Anyama added.
Regional hatcheries to take improved genetics closer to farmers
The establishment of regional poultry and fish hatcheries is expected to decentralise the production and distribution of improved breeding materials.
Under the approach, farmers in different parts of the country will have greater access to quality poultry chicks and fish seed without relying entirely on supplies from a few central production facilities.
The regional facilities are also expected to strengthen NAGRC&DB’s collaboration with PDM by ensuring that rural households can access productive poultry and fish enterprises as income-generating activities.
The agency says it has already aligned its operations with PDM to reach last-mile farmers across the country.
Through community-based breeding programmes, NAGRC&DB is also seeking to strengthen manpower and technical support for farmers, particularly in genetic selection, artificial breeding, disease control and animal husbandry.
Poultry multiplication already underway
NAGRC&DB has been multiplying improved poultry breeds for distribution to farmers, with the Kuroiler breed among those being promoted.
In the Busoga sub-region alone, the agency says it has distributed more than 500,000 improved Kuroiler chicks, alongside 10,000 crossbred bulls, 5,000 pigs and 165 Kasolwe Brown goats.
The improved dual-purpose Kuroiler birds can produce between 150 and 200 eggs annually, compared with about 40 eggs from many indigenous chickens, while reaching a market weight of approximately two to 3.5 kilogrammes within five months.
The establishment of regional hatcheries is expected to increase the agency’s capacity to multiply such improved breeds and make chicks more readily available to farmers.
The facilities are also expected to support farmer training in poultry management, breeding, disease prevention and improved husbandry practices.
Fish hatcheries to strengthen aquaculture
The planned regional fish hatcheries are expected to complement Government efforts to increase fish production and improve access to quality fish seed.
NAGRC&DB’s breeding strategy covers the fish value chain alongside dairy, beef, goats, pigs and poultry.
The agency intends to use improved genetics and controlled breeding to support farmers engaged in aquaculture while contributing to increased fish production and household incomes.
Regional production centres could also provide a platform for technical support, farmer training and dissemination of improved fish genetics closer to production communities.
Kasolwe remains key to multiplication programmes
At the Kasolwe Stock Farm, NAGRC&DB has invested in livestock breeding, animal feeds and forage production as part of its strategy to increase the availability of improved breeds.
The farm, which covers more than a square mile, has extensive areas dedicated to animal forage production, including grasses, hay, energy-rich maize and protein supplements.
Kasolwe has also become a centre for multiplication of improved animal breeds, including the Kasolwe Brown goat, developed through NAGRC&DB’s genetic improvement programmes.
According to Dr Katali Benda, NAGRC&DB programme officer for small ruminants, the Kasolwe Brown goat is drought-tolerant, grows rapidly and is relatively resistant to diseases commonly affecting goats.
He said females can weigh up to 65 kilogrammes at maturity, while males can reach up to 75 kilogrammes.
The goats can also produce multiple kids, with some capable of producing up to four kids a year, making them attractive to farmers seeking to rapidly expand their herds.
Infrastructure investment to support breeding
The regional hatchery programme comes amid increased Government investment in animal genetic resources.
In March 2026, Parliament endorsed a Shs56.96 billion investment in livestock breeding infrastructure, including the Bukedea and Serere breeding centres, under the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV).
The investment is expected to support mass multiplication of improved breeds, restocking programmes and community-based breeding initiatives.
NAGRC&DB is also strengthening livestock productivity through animal feed production. The agency says its heavy-duty machinery at Kasolwe is producing compounded feeds for poultry, pigs and dairy cattle.
“We are backed by our heavy-duty feed production machinery at Kasolwe, which is producing compounded poultry, piggery, and dairy cattle feeds,” the institution said.
Supporting PDM and commercial agriculture
NAGRC&DB says the combination of improved genetics, regional breeding infrastructure, farmer training, animal feeds and community-based breeding will increase productivity and create more opportunities for rural households.
The agency is also targeting women, youth and persons with disabilities, who it says should not be left behind in Uganda’s livestock transformation agenda.
The livestock sector remains a major component of Uganda’s agricultural economy.
Recent Uganda Bureau of Statistics data cited during the retreat indicate that livestock supports about 71 per cent of Ugandan households and contributes approximately 4.5 per cent of the country’s GDP.
Within agriculture, livestock accounts for about 17 per cent of agricultural GDP, with dairy alone contributing an estimated 40 to 50 per cent of livestock’s contribution.
The planned establishment and strengthening of regional poultry and fish hatcheries is therefore expected to bring improved breeding materials closer to farmers, increase production and strengthen the implementation of PDM.
For NAGRC&DB, the broader objective is to build a decentralised animal breeding system capable of supplying farmers with quality genetics while supporting Government’s drive towards commercial agriculture, household income growth and food security.
