Naro seeks collaborative research with Sweden

Domestic animals continue to make important contribution to global food security and as a result animal feeds have become an increasingly critical component of the integrated food chain.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), livestock products account for about 30 percent of global protein and 16 percent of the energy consumed in human diets.

Meat consumer demand for more beef, milk, eggs, milk and other livestock products is dependent to a major extent on the availability of regular supplies of appropriate, cost effective and safe animal feeds.

Few issues have generated as much public concern in recent times including the protein supply in feeds for livestock production.

Not only is the demand for livestock products increasing due to population growth, particularly in the developing world, but feed suppliers also have to cope with increasing safety concerns.

This is the thinking of livestock scientists dealing in improving livestock breeds and livestock feeds.

Collaboration

Small-scale livestock farming in Africa can become more intensive yet sustainable if better and more nutritious forage is used to feed the animals.

This could benefit farming activities especially in rural Sub-Saharan Africa and see a shift from the increased reliance on ordinary pasture grazing.

However, apart from farmers grazing their animals on grassland owned communally, scientists are encouraging them to use hybrid fodder species and other nutritious feeds in an attempt to keep animals which will be in position to produce enough milk as well as good quality beef.

As such Uganda’s scientists at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLRRI) are now engaging Swedish diplomats in a bid to obtain financial support for animal research for improved breeds.

Abbas Kigozi, an animal research scientist at the institute and his colleagues who were taking the Swedish Ambassador Maria Hakonsson to tour the technologies at the Institute in November explains that nutritious animal feed constitutes 80 percent good animal growth for good beef and high milk production.

He notes that scientists have expressed desire for the Swedish government to help address gaps in livestock research.

Dr Ambrose Agona, the Director General of Naro says there is a lot of research work going on in all Naro institutions with minimum financial support from government which is about 0.2 percent of the national budget.

“What we have done is to expose the ambassador to the technologies scientists are using at NaLRRI for decision making. The Swedish government are not new in giving financial support to Uganda’s institutions to support science, technology innovations. During my youthful times they advanced $12,000 dollars for plant genetics research. Now we are asking them to help in the area of livestock in order to improve on the animal breeds we have for farmer uptake,” he notes.

Dr Agona says the institute needs $30m for the project.

Feed Laboratory

Kigozi explains that the feed laboratory at the institute can analyse the quality of feed ranging from grass forage, mixed animal feed from soybean cake and other feed mixtures.

This way the scientists are able to advice farmers on what ratio of feed can be given the animals.

He contends that scientists working at the animal feed laboratory collect various types of animal pasture across the country namely Brachiaria grass, Napier grass, Chloris Guyana grass, neem tree leaves, maize and sorghum plant, among other and analyse its nutrient content.

The also analyse other feed concentrates made out of soybean cake, maize bran and other products.

This way they are able to advise farmers on which grass varieties to grow as well mixing ratios for concentrates to obtain the right protein and other minerals for animal growth and milk production.

The also able to advise farmers which feed mixture to give calves, dairy cattle and those rowing for beef production.

The plan is to develop a kit which can be used by agricultural extension service providers on farmer fields across the country to avoid costs of sending samples to the institute at NaLRRI.

According to Kigozi, majority of the animal husbandry farmers are mobile, particularly those in Karamoja and western Uganda.

“If an animal is not fed well, it will take long to grow and the farmer may end up obtaining 40kg of beef yet the recommended beef production from a well fed cattle is 60kg and 40kg of its bones. Secondly if a dairy cattle is not well fed, then milk production reduces. This is the reason we are always asking for farmers to visit the Institute to get the right advice,” he notes.

The acting director of the institute Dr Moses Dhikusoka notes that his team is seeking support to come up with animal breeds that are of high quality to meet the needs of consumers.

The scientists have also developed aflasafe materials which when applied in the soil will protect pasture plant from aflatoxin fungi penetration.

Possibilities

Ambassador Hakonsson notes that the Swedish government believes so much in applied research done by scientists to address the challenge of food insecurity.

It is the reason the Swedish government has advanced funding especially in universities including Makerere University to support students in Masters and PHD education for environmental science and agriculture.

“Sustainable agriculture is a priority is key to our government and what is interesting is to keep close linkage with scientists,” she says.

The embassy of Sweden has been collaborating with Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in supporting farmers in Karamoja and West Nile to help them lead good livelihoods by growing crops and keeping livestock for improved income.

To her having such collaborations is a plus for the Swedish government.

Research

Swedish support

To-date, there have been four c9onsecutive research agreement periods with a total supprt of $116m. Initially started with Makerere, the collaboration has grown over the years to include more than 17 Swedish universities and four other Ugandan public universities. These are Kyambogo, Busitema, Gulu and Mbarara University of Science and Technology.