The National Animal Genetic Resources Center and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB), an agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), has acquired animal feed production machines and seed multiplication to help Ugandan breeders with high quality and affordable products. and locally produced animal feed to improve livestock productivity.

Minister of State for Animal Industry, Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Bright Rwamirama, said: “We previously had three main mandates, but we have acquired an additional mandate for the supply of animal feed …The acquisition of machinery marks an important step in meeting the nutritional needs of Uganda’s livestock sector.

Rwamirama stressed the need to review its core mandate and use the machines sustainably. “We need to make sure we produce enough because animal feed is very necessary… We have the land and the machines,” he said Thursday while launching the machines at the ministry headquarters.

Chairman of NAGRC&DB, Mr. Ben Anyama, said: “The production of animal feed will make it cheaper for Ugandans to obtain it from NAGRC…We want to reduce expenditure on animal feed and call on the government to support us. »

“We have invested in this equipment for feed and seed multiplication to improve both animal husbandry and breeding. This technology will significantly contribute to achieving our goals. Producing our own feed is crucial, as their purchase proved costly for the agency,” he added.

NAGRC&DB introduced machines, including three heavy agricultural tractors, six tipper trailers with a capacity of 10 tonnes, three primary and three secondary disc harrows, three precision row seeders with high seed and fertilizer capacities, three long reach boom sprayers with an 18 meter. width and three forage harvesters.

Dr. Peter Beine, Executive Director of NAGRC&DB, said: “These machines enable mass production of animal feed, meeting the nutritional needs of our accelerated livestock programs and supporting the livelihoods of Ugandan pastoralists. nutritional support essential to their success. This initiative demonstrates our commitment to strengthening agricultural productivity and resilience of the livestock sector in Uganda.