The National Animal Genetics Resource Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC & DB) has been urged to reinstate the program of training Artifical Insemination Technicians.
The call was made by leaders in Busoga sub region, during their meeting with the Senior President Advisor on Busoga Affairs, Hon. Florence Mutyabule.
The SPA is currently undertaking a regional sensitization campaign among all district leaders of Busoga on Kasolwe Stock Farm Project, its services and products. The farm according to Mutyabule is to benefit the whole of Busoga sub-region.
The SPA yesterday met district leaders of Mayuge, Namayingo and Bugweri over the matter and also gathered their views on how best the ranch can be utilized, to enable locals get services from it.
In Namayingo for example, the leaders welcomed the idea where NAGRC & DB offers district with semens under the community bleeding program to enable them give to farmers to improve on their livestock breeds.
However, the leaders les by the area RDC Ojago Sulaiman said much as this arrangement is there and noble, they face a challenge of lack of Artificial Insemination technicians.
The District Production Officer Dr. Batwala Stephen explained that in his district, they have only two such technicians including himself which he said is a big challenge.
“NAGRC DB at Entebbe used to have a program of training Al technicians but the service is no longer there. Even when we can train on our own (funds), we have no where to train them because even at NAGRIC DB, this service is not there now. If NAGRIC DB can bring back that service, we shall be able to tell our farmers to use imported semen to implore on their breed,” he said.
The leaders noted that Al is the simplest way to improve on breeds and therefore they need to have qualified people to handle this exercise.
Dr. Batwala said currently, those individual farmers with good breeds of cattle are charging exorbitantly, those who want to buy their cows. He said this can only be cured if the sources of improved breed are fast tracked to enable farmers access these breeds at affordable prices.
In Mayuge, the leaders led by district chairman Bishop Frank Tibagendeka said as a district they have identified dairy and cocoa growing as key projects that can help transform people’s lives.
“For dairy, our challenge here is getting the right seed (breed). My worry is that NAGRIC & BD may not have numbers so that when we recommend farmers, they can get the breed,” he said.
The Mayuge district Fisheries officers Nakaziba Sarah said, “We want to reduce pressure on the lake by trying other ways of fishing farming especially cage farming. But people lack cages. Even the cost of feeds is failing many farmers in this business. We are greatful about Kasolwe and this meeting has helped us understand that there is even a unit for fish farming. We thought it is strictly about livestock farming. Its going to promote fish farming. Our main challenge is the feed. Kasolwe should work on the feed fast because farmers are complaining about the cost of the feed and standard. NAGRC DB should work on feed fastly and be of standard.”
Meanwhile, the leaders in Bugweri district led by RDC Billy Janet Mulindwa, empasized the need for Kasolwe Stock Farm managers to open up on its services so that people can understand it well.
The DPO Dr. Kalange Muhamudu for example said most district leaders are unaware of Kasolwe Stock Farm services and how they will help the community.
“We need to do a lot of senstization about Kasolwe. Even me, i am in the system as a techinical person but i have been wondering how the farm will help people. Are they going to give things for free?” He asked, adding that already as a district, Bugweri is getting semen from Kasolwe Stock Farm but thats where they end. Like in Namayingo, they complained about lack of government AI officers, to do the AI service and therefore rely on private people.
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