“Uganda’s livestock research is ahead of Norway, Holland and Africa”- Guinea President

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has today, through its Research Agency, NARO – NaLIRRI hosted the President of Guinea, Prof. Alpha Conde in Nakyesasa in Busukuma, Wakiso District.

The Head of State was in Uganda to witness the inauguration of President Museveni for his next term 2021-2026.

President Conde’s visit follows the outcome of HE President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni visit to Guinea in 2018 where it was agreed that the two countries collaborate in Agricultural Research, Production and marketing in the sector.

While on the visit, President Conde was told that the Scientists are in the advanced stages of animal disease management for some of the most prevalent diseases including; Foot and Mouth Disease, Ticks and African Swine Fever. The development of Anti tick vaccine is in advanced stages and NARO intends to roll out the vaccine for validation by farmers in September of 2021.

“There is nothing to envy about livestock production in Norway and Holland. What I have seen here is way above what I saw in Norway and Holland. I also visited Morocco and thought that their livestock production system was most advanced in Africa, but from I have seen, Uganda is ahead,” H.E Alpha Conde said.

H. E Alpha Conde said that he would send his scientists to Uganda to learn more within a month thereby activating the collaboration between the two countries through their respective Ministries of Agriculture in the three key areas of livestock breeds, animal health and animal nutrition.

The visiting Head of State was also shown the intensive zero waste dairy production system which ensures that all the waste in form of urine and dung is put to use through production of high value products including bio-methane (purified biogas), bio-electricity, organic pesticides, liquid soap, organic fertilizer and livestock feed.

Hon Vincent Ssempijja, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries said the intensive zero waste dairy production concept will be replicated across the country in the different agro-ecological zones.

The National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) is one of the sixteen, public agricultural research institutes under the policy and strategic guidance of NARO and is mandated to conduct research and develop technologies for improved productivity and competitiveness of the livestock sub-sector.

The Institute is host to the Regional Animal Health Diagnostics Laboratory that serves the sub-Saharan African region in rapid diagnostics of animal diseases. The institute is home for an innovatively designed intensive zero waste dairy platform, demonstrating opportunities for processing of cattle dung into high value products including bio-methane (purified biogas), bio-electricity, organic pesticides, liquid soap and livestock feed.  

Prof. Joseph Obua the Chairman of the NARO Governing Council expressed that Uganda cannot wait for the collaboration with Guinea in areas of broad livestock vaccines, improved crop genetics, capacity building of human capital and bilateral resource mobilization to support agricultural research.  Broad livestock vaccines.

This collaboration, he said would lead to self-sustainability of the Agricultural Research, Production and marketing in the sector.

Prof Obua added that NARO is working closely with grassroot farmers to connect its agricultural innovations and technologies to industries for value addition.

“Research and business by their nature are highly collaborative. Some of the industrial value chains that have benefitted from this include the coffee industry where we have supported the value chain from research to value addition for industrial production through the provision of stress tolerant varieties, industrial prototypes and the maize industry where we facilitate uptake of stress tolerant varieties and industrial prototypes for value addition,” he said.

NARO is one of the 7 implementing agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. It has a mandate to coordinate, oversee and guide agricultural research in Uganda in the areas of crop, livestock, fisheries, forestry including priority crops. NARO has 16 Public Agricultural Research Institutes under its policy guidance.