By Jovita Mirembe
Famers have been asked to grow enough feeds for their live stock during the rainy season so that their animals can have enough of it throughout the year, the state minister for Animal Industry has said.
Bright Rwamirama said that feeds, such as pastures grasses, hay and silage crops, and certain cereal grains grow in plenty during the rainy season and can be dried to become fodder and stored for the animals to be eaten in the dry season.
‘During the dry season many farmers suffer in getting feeds for their animals yet they can store this food during the rainy season. I have information that the biggest percentage of animals feeds on the Ugandan market is imported from European countries which is a big shame to our country because we have good seasons compared to European counties but how come they can store animal feeds? Rwamirama said.
He further urged farmers to feed their live stock very well in order to reduce on the lack of food in the country.
Rwamirama said that due to the rapid growth of Uganda’s population, food is so essential in the country in order to feed the nation where milk and meat fall in the category of food.
He said that if live stock is not fed very well, it will not be able to produce milk and meat in plenty to satisfy the population.
Rwamirama said this while closing the two day stake holders workshop for the Resilient African
Feed and fodder systems ( RAFFS) project held at Hotel Africana in Kampala 12 march.
Dr Silva Turyahikayo Manager, Extension and Milk Procurement at Jesa Farm Dairy said that dairy and its products is one of the contributors to Uganda’s Groos domestic product (GDP) and we must produce good quality of it in order to compete on the world market.
He said that in order to achieve this, extension services should be extended to all dairy famers regulaly to give them tips on how to produce quality milk from their animals by giving them quality feeds.
