Over the past three decades pig production has become an increasingly important activity in Uganda, as indicated by the change in pig population from 0.19 to 3.2 million. In 2011, Uganda has the highest per capita consumption of pork meat in Sub-Saharan Africa (3.4 kg/person/year). In Uganda there are more than 1.1 million families raising pigs, mostly as a backyard activity in smallholder households in peri-urban and rural areas. Pigs play an important role in the livelihoods of poor families, because they are important assets, help to generate income to cover emergency needs and pay school fees, but also are means to use crop residues and kitchen left over’s, and generate manure used to fertilize high value crops. Frequently, women and children are responsible for the management of pigs, whereas men do the marketing.
The majority of pigs in Uganda, as in many other Sub-Saharan African countries, are produced by a large informal subsector, with limited access to technology information and services. This applies to all actors of the value chain, including farmers, traders, butchers, and retailers.
Several problems have been identified along the pig value chain in Uganda. Regarding feeding, there is a lack of year-round stability of feed supply, and feed quality control measures are absent. In animal health, several problems have been identified, among those the presence of frequent breakouts of African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease that produce significant animal losses, along with parasitic diseases which also affect the economy of pig farming. Inbreeding also affects the productive and reproductive performance of pigs. Poor housing infrastructure affects animal welfare and hygiene, does not allow the efficient collection and use of manure, and could contribute to pollute water sources. Moreover, when animals are (scavenging), it may result in conflicts with neighbors producing crops
Why Pigs
Pigs can be raised in controlled or free environment, as a small- or large-scale business. But in whatever size, a prospective farmer would need inputs as to how to raise pigs efficiently and in a more productive manner. Pigs have a number of advantages that suit rural citizens making it one of the best ways to run to in order to solve the issue of poverty.
The pig has highest feed conversion efficiency i.e. they produce more live weight gain from a given weight of feed than any other class of meat producing animals except broilers.
The pig can utilize wide variety of feed stuffs viz. Grains, forages, damaged feeds and garbage and convert them into valuable nutritious meat. Feeding of damaged grains, garbage and other home wastes reduce the stress of buying food stuffs hence spending less or no money on food.
They are prolific with shorter generation interval. A sow can be bred as early as 8-9 months of age and can farrow twice in a year. They produce 6-12 piglets in each farrowing. Pig farming requires small investment on buildings and equipment’s.
Pigs are known for their meat yield, which in terms of dressing percentage ranges from 65-80 in comparison to other livestock species whose dressing yields may not exceed 65%.
AWODA received support for this project from American Women for International Understanding (www.awiu.org ) to the tune of 2500 US Dollars equivalent to 8,665,750 UGX in June 2017
AWIU provided AWODA with necessary funding to the startup project “Pig Seed.” Beneficiaries were 300 women households organized in ten women groups with limited access to basic care services and others living with HIV/AIDS. The women were trained in piggery management and marketing – this included how to erect a sturdy shelter, how to properly feed and clean the pigs, as well as care for pregnant pigs. Many of the women felt the training was efficient at teaching them new skills – 10 women received each 3 pigs to rise within their interest group
Each group has 20-30 members. These own a piggery farm together and they redistribute piglets to members every one month after pigs have delivered. Each benefiting group member then gives a piglet to another woman in the community or in another group later after her pig delivers. It’s a revolving scheme that will enable every marginalized woman in the community to own a pig. Pigs and their products especially pork take the lead in Uganda’s meat market.
One month later, AWODA returned to check back on the progress of the project. The project yielded some challenges, but had been successful as a whole. All of the pigs were in good condition, and seemed to be growing steadily. Due to the positive outcomes, the women wanted to start a fund for future projects raising pigs, the groups have been linked to veterinary doctor for easy access to veterinary services and constant follow up by AWODA volunteers
