By Apollo Mubiru
The government has tabled a Bill which seeks to provide legislative framework for the operationalization of the animal feeds policy by regulating the production, importation, exportation and marking of animal feeds and by establishing the animal feeds committee to regulate the production, importation, exportation and marking of animal feeds.
The Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze, presented the Bill during the plenary sitting of the House on 25 October 2023.
“Inadequate animal nutrition was identified as one of the factors that limit Uganda’s production of livestock products,” Tumwebaze said, adding that Animal feeds account for 70 percent of the production costs and therefore have a significant effect on production costs and the profits.
The Animal Feeds Bill 2023 also provides for the application for the registration of premises and the circumstances under which a certificate of registration may be suspended or revoked.
Similarly, the Bill will establish the offices of animal feed inspectors and animal feed analysts. The animal feeds inspector shall inspect premises and seize any animal feeds that is produced contrary to the requirements of the Act.
Furthermore, will give the Minister powers to make regulations, under the Act to provide for the procedures and forms to be used, for the application for registration of premises and licences for the production, storage, transportation, or sale of animal feeds and for the fees for the paid under the Act.
According to the minister, the productivity of livestock in Uganda is low due to the prevalence of animal diseases, inadequate nutrition for the animals, scarcity of water in the semi-arid areas, lack of facilities for the storage and processing of animal feeds, the lack of laboratory facilities and the lack of information, knowledge and skills on animal feeds production amongst other factors.
Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, referred the Bill to the Committee on Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries for consideration.
