Developing a Viable Pig Industry in Uganda

This project is part of the Africa Agriculture Development Fund programme operated jointly by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Irish Aid. The aim of the programme is to foster a broader role for Irish agri-food companies in development projects overseas and to help promote commercial activity by Irish companies.

This project involves setting up a demonstration pig farm and feed mill in the Hoima region of Uganda, part funded by Irish Aid and Devenish Nutrition Ltd. The kernel of the problem being addressed is the lack of a pig industry in Uganda – pigs are produced in Uganda as a means for immediate survival at smallholder farmer level. The basis for this proposal is that a market exists for locally produced and processed pork products in Uganda, in particular in Kampala and also in neighbouring countries, South Sudan and DRC.

The specific objectives are to engage in knowledge transfer to assist progressive farmers to improve their efficiency in pig production and in reaching markets, thereby increasing their income both personally and into the local economy, and also to grow local markets. This will be done through a combination of modelling, training and education, site visits and other knowledge transfer between Devenish staff and farmers and processors. The approach should be replicable and scalable to other agri-food sectors.

Ciaran Carroll is the Teagasc staff member involved. To date, Ciaran has visited Uganda to evaluate the suitability of the project, advise on how best to develop a pig farm & feed mill, the setting up of a discussion group/co-op and to develop a monitoring framework for the project. He will provide on going assistance by helping Irish Aid to monitor the project and its development.