By John Masaba
At least 56.5% of Ugandan households now have extension services, a new report released by the Government says.
The report titled National Livestock Census 2021 reveals access to the services was reported highest among cattle-keeping households estimated at 72.2%.
“(This was) followed by pig-keeping households with 64.6%, while the least was reported among households that practice apiculture (beekeeping) at 26.6%,” the report, which was launched at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala on Thursday, March 28, 2024 by animal industry state minister Dr Bright Rwamirama says.
The report, whose launch was also attended by planning state minister Amos Lugolobi and several officials from the Government, civil society and development partners, also provides snapshots of the commonly used farm implements by livestock-keeping households.
It noted that most were hand farm tools (hoes and pangas).
These represent 81.4 per cent of the livestock-keeping households and only 0.2 per cent owned a tractor.
” In addition, 11.3 per cent of the livestock-keeping households owned spray pumps, ” the report said.
Findings on farm infrastructure revealed that 9.4 per cent of the livestock-keeping households owned a water reservoir (overhead tanks, ponds), 11.8 per cent owned a store for inputs (vet drugs, tools) and 5.7 per cent owned a store for animal feeds.
About 3 per cent of the cattle-keeping households owned cattle crushes.
