Uganda

Feeding innovations—to overcome low feed availability and quality: This includes development of low-cost and locally available feed options for livestock; training, mentorship and certification programs for small-scale feed producers to improve feed quality and service provision; testing forages and forage seed business models and setting up multilocational performance trials for testing potential varieties of forages/fodder. 

Herd-health and disease diagnostics innovations—to overcome poor pig health and biosecurity: This includes improving biosecurity practices to control African swine fever (ASF) and other diseases, in collaboration with Makerere University (MUK); validation of existing rapid ASF diagnostic tests under field conditions; strengthening capacities of animal healthcare workers in herd health and animal welfare.

Genetic and breeding innovations—to improve access to farmer-preferred breeds: This work entails capacitating animal health-care workers to provide artificial insemination services through technical training, entrepreneurship training and business model development and assessment of pig semen extenders to overcome the constraints of short semen life span in collaboration with MUK; explore opportunities of improving access to semen by setting up semen production units outside Kampala, the capital; support and enhance farm and animal level data capture for the cattle systems using digital tools to assess animal performance and targeted advisory services, in collaboration with the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB). 

Extension innovations—to address poor access to advisory services: Extension messaging for pig farmers and other value chain actors on integrated productivity-enhancing technologies and practices, as well as marketing options, delivered through behaviour change communication approaches; development of digital platforms for exchange of information and market linkages and transactions. 

Marketing innovations: Business mentoring support to pig buyers (aggregators) and pig producers to formulate win-win business arrangements and enhance trust and value chain linkages. Improved exchange of information between pork value chain actors for joint problem solving of constraints, including on input and output market access for pig producers, via multi-stakeholder platforms.

Policy innovations—for a more conducive policy environment: Mechanisms and processes for sustaining effective engagement with policymakers for decision-making on sustainable pig, beef and dairy cattle sectors.