The National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB) is set to scale up the supply of improved dairy heifers, poultry and piglets to beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM) as part of efforts to transform Uganda’s livestock sector.
The move is part of the agency’s plans for the 2026/2027 financial year, which focus on expanding access to improved animal genetics, increasing livestock productivity and supporting smallholder farmers to transition from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.
The plans were unveiled during a two-day strategic retreat held in Entebbe on August 6 and 7, where the NAGRC&DB Board of Directors and management reviewed priorities for the coming financial year.
The retreat was anchored on the National Animal Breeding Strategy and Action Plan, which seeks to commercialise animal breeding, improve livestock productivity and conserve Uganda’s indigenous genetic resources across the dairy, beef, goat, pig, poultry and fish value chains.
NAGRC&DB Board Chairperson Ben Anyama said the agency would intensify mass breeding and multiplication programmes to increase the availability of high-performing, climate-smart breeds to farmers.
“The National Animal Breeding Strategy is focusing on enhancing commercialisation of breeding, boosting livestock productivity, and conserving indigenous genetic resources across dairy, beef, pigs, poultry, and fish value chains,” Anyama said.
He said the strategy would also support the multiplication of high-yielding breeds while ensuring that improved genetics become accessible to farmers at different levels.
“This is not just about increasing numbers; it is about ensuring that every farmer, regardless of scale, can access superior genetics,” Anyama added.
PDM Beneficiaries To Receive More Improved Animals
The increased supply is expected to strengthen NAGRC&DB’s collaboration with the Parish Development Model by ensuring that more rural households can access improved livestock for income generation.
The agency says it has already aligned its operations with PDM to reach last-mile farmers across the country.
Through community-based animal breeding programmes, NAGRC&DB is also seeking to increase manpower and technical support for smallholder farmers, particularly in genetic selection, artificial insemination, disease control and animal husbandry.
The approach has already been implemented in areas such as the Busoga sub-region and the cattle corridor, where farmers are being organised into breeding societies and trained in modern breeding practices.
Kasolwe Emerges As Centre Of Livestock Multiplication
At the Kasolwe Stock Farm, NAGRC&DB has invested in livestock breeding, animal feeds and forage production as part of its strategy to increase the availability of improved breeds.
The farm, which covers more than a square mile, has extensive areas dedicated to animal forages, including grasses, hay, energy-rich maize and protein supplements.
Kasolwe has also become a centre for the multiplication of improved animal breeds, including the Kasolwe Brown goat, developed through NAGRC&DB’s genetic improvement programmes.
According to Dr Katali Benda, the programme officer for small ruminants at NAGRC&DB, the Kasolwe Brown goat is drought-tolerant, grows rapidly and is relatively resistant to diseases that commonly affect goats.
He said females can weigh up to 65 kilogrammes at maturity, while males can reach up to 75 kilogrammes.
The goats can also produce multiple kids, with some capable of producing up to four kids a year, making them attractive to farmers seeking to rapidly expand their herds.
More Poultry, Pigs And Improved Cattle
NAGRC&DB has also been multiplying improved poultry and pig breeds for distribution to farmers.
In the Busoga sub-region alone, the agency says it has distributed more than 500,000 improved Kuroiler chicks, 10,000 crossbred bulls, 5,000 pigs and 165 Kasolwe Brown goats.
The improved dual-purpose Kuroiler birds can produce between 150 and 200 eggs annually, compared with about 40 eggs from many indigenous chickens, while reaching a market weight of approximately two to 3.5 kilogrammes within five months.
NAGRC&DB has also intensified artificial insemination services. Over the past two years, more than 10,000 cattle in the Busoga sub-region have been inseminated, contributing to improvements in herd quality and milk production.
The agency currently produces and distributes improved semen and liquid nitrogen to farmers across the country to support genetic improvement.
Focus On Feeds And Farmer Training
NAGRC&DB is also strengthening livestock productivity by investing in animal feed production.
“We are backed by our heavy-duty feed production machinery at Kasolwe, which is producing compounded poultry, piggery, and dairy cattle feeds,” the institution said.
NAGRC&DB said community-based breeding programmes would also give farmers greater access to practical training in artificial insemination, disease control and genetic selection.
“Farmers can now access subsidised, superior genetics that produce more milk, meat, and eggs, directly boosting household incomes,” the agency highlighted.
The agency’s emphasis on indigenous and climate-smart breeds is expected to help farmers cope with changing climatic conditions while maintaining productivity.
Women And Youth Targeted
NAGRC&DB also plans to ensure that women, youth and persons with disabilities are not left behind in the livestock transformation agenda.
The agency says improved access to livestock breeds, technical training and breeding services will help create opportunities for vulnerable and previously underserved groups while strengthening household incomes.
The livestock sector remains a major component of Uganda’s agricultural economy. Recent Uganda Bureau of Statistics data cited during the retreat indicate that livestock supports about 71 per cent of Ugandan households and contributes approximately 4.5 per cent of the country’s GDP.
Within agriculture, livestock accounts for about 17 per cent of agricultural GDP, with dairy alone contributing an estimated 40 to 50 per cent of livestock’s contribution.
UGX56.96 Billion Breeding Infrastructure Investment
The expansion of livestock breeding programmes comes amid increased government investment in animal genetic resources.
In March 2026, Parliament endorsed a Shs56.96 billion investment in livestock breeding infrastructure, including the Bukedea and Serere breeding centres, under the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV).
The investment is expected to support mass multiplication of improved breeds, restocking programmes and community-based breeding initiatives.
For NAGRC&DB, the strategy is to combine improved genetics, farmer training, animal feeds and community-based breeding to increase productivity and enable more Ugandan households to benefit from commercial livestock farming.
The planned increase in the supply of PDM dairy heifers, poultry and piglets is therefore expected to further expand the number of farmers accessing improved livestock and strengthen Uganda’s drive towards household income growth, food security and commercial agriculture.
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