Iganga farm gets FAO trial chicks
Officials from FAO China-Uganda South-to-South cooperation hand over a lift box containing chicks to National Association of School Community ICT outreach demonstration farm officials in Iganga District. PHOTO/ABUBAKER KIRUNDA
What you need to know:
- The venture promotes technology in aquaculture, crops, livestock, and agribusiness.
The Iganga-based National Association of School Community ICT outreach demonstration farm has been boosted with 400 chicks for agricultural technological advancement.
The experiment is being implemented by the governments of China and Uganda, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAIF), through a joint venture code-named Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) China-Uganda South-to-South cooperation.
The venture promotes technology in aquaculture, crops, livestock, and agribusiness, according to Dr Jacob Mukose, the head of veterinary marketing in the ministry.
According to Dr Mukose, the move is intended to enable farm users to adopt the new technology of breeding chicks with high productivity.
“We handed over the one-day old chicks to selected farmers in this demonstration farm so that we can demonstrate guidelines on how to manage them using advanced technology for better production,’’ Dr Mukose said.
He added that the chicks were accompanied with 700kgms of feed that helps them to grow fast for sale, and he is optimistic that youth will come to the demonstration farm for skills to enable them to start similar projects and fight poverty.
The coordinator National Association of School Community ICT outreach farm, Mr Michael Mubezi, said the idea was born shortly after the outbreak of Covid-19, with an aim of helping young girls who experienced challenges during the lockdown.
“We looked at helping girls who conceived, dropped out of school and divorced due to effects of Covid-19. A number of vocational skills have been set up in the farm with help from donors, including FAO and the MAAIF.
“We have all skills training in this farm, including tailoring, hairdressing, baking and poultry, among others, which vulnerable youth must come and get,’’ Mr Mubezi said on Monday.
The Executive Director FAO China-Uganda South-to-South cooperation, Mr Zhang Xiaqiang, said beneficiaries from this programme are expected to have “a change in their earnings”, adding that the skills attained by the selected groups will also be extended to others.
