By Herbert Musoke
If you are relying on only your salary, experts warn that you are just one step away from poverty.
This is one of the remarks that attracted the attention of Ugandan army officers that visited Itungo pastures for a study tour on how to manage dairy animals in a small space.
Last week, over 50 Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers, led by Col. Emmanuel Muhoozi, the administrative officer in the First Infantry Division at Kakiri barracks, visited Itungo farm, which is owned by Pison and Jolly Asiimwe Busingye, to learn how to manage a dairy farm in a small space.
Itungo farm is known for growing pastures, with over 30 different varieties on one acre.
“We also train livestock farmers on the best practices of breed selecting, feeding and waste management,” Busingye explained. During the tour, he advised the officers to start with the space they have, emphasising that depending on a salary alone will enable one to survive, but will not change their living conditions.
“Engaging in farming does not depend on how big your land is, but rather doing things the right way, so that you have quality livestock or crops that will give a high yield in a small space,” he said.
The officers were advised on zero grazing, pasture management, as well as waste and other enterprises one can do to increase one’s income.
Zero grazing
With a small space, Busingye explained, one does not have the luxury of free-range grazing.
“Since you have a small space, opt for breeds with a high productivity. Such animals produce 20 litres of milk and above daily. Also, because they are confined in one place, you must ensure you give them the best care, including hygiene, balanced feeding and treatment,” he advised.
Busingye said the house should be constructed in a manner that ensures comfort for the animals.
“To ensure proper hygiene, the shelter must be cleaned twice a day or use indigenous microorganisms (IMO), which feed on the waste from the animals, thus removing bad odour, hastening composting and contributing to the formation of good natural fertilisers,” he adds.
Pasture management
Asiimwe noted that because the animals are confined, it is important to feed them on pastures that have all the nutrients for proper growth and productivity.
She added that a farmer needs pastures, such as maize and sorghum (sugar graze) to make silage.
Pastures that can be used to make hay include chloris gayana, brachiaria mulato, different varieties of panicum, as well as pastures with proteins, such as Alfalfa, desmodium, lab lab, as well as fodder trees like calliandra and sesbania.
“You do not need all the varieties, but one or two for each category. Mix the pastures at the time of feeding the animal,” she said.
Asiimwe noted that for farmers with small pieces of land, one has to first cultivate and harvest the pastures for about three cycles each, taking about three to four months, before bringing in the livestock.
Waste management
Busingye said waste management is one of the challenges that urban farmers face, yet it can be turned into a resource to increase incomes, manage expenditure and save the environment.
“If you are an urban farmer, you can use the dung for biogas, thus saving money you would have spent on charcoal and fuel. Also, the bio-slurry is used as fertiliser, pesticide and as fish feed,” he says.
Muhoozi urged the officers put in practice what they had learnt.
“The chief commander of the force has always asked us to have income-generating activities with the one acre or four-acre model. We are thus optimistic that each of us will start something in our respective villages,” he said.
Muhoozi said with financial help from their WAZALENDO SACCOS, they can start enterprises in livestock and fish farming.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Busingye and Asiimwe explaining pasture management to the officers. Photo By Herbert Musoke
