By Joseph Sooka
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has called on farmers to embrace modern dairy farming technologies and value addition to increase incomes and improve livelihoods.
The Prime Minister made the remarks after touring the Dairy Development and Production Department exhibition stall under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) during the 32nd National Agricultural Show.
During the tour, Assistant Commissioner for Dairy, Magona Nathan, showcased the country’s dairy value chain and explained how investment in modern dairy production and processing can transform household incomes.
“At our Dairy Development and Production stall, we are displaying the entire dairy value chain. We have milking machines, chaff cutters, milk cans and improved grasses that boost milk production. We are also teaching farmers how to manage diseases such as mastitis, which affects milk quality, and how to control Foot and Mouth Disease, which is part of a government programme across the country,” Magona said.
He said the department is also equipping farmers with skills to add value to milk by producing yoghurt, ice cream and powdered milk, products that fetch higher prices than raw milk.
“We therefore call upon farmers to visit our stall and acquire knowledge and practical skills that can improve their dairy enterprises,” he said.
Magona noted that Uganda’s dairy industry has recorded remarkable growth, with annual milk production reaching 5.4 billion litres, making the country one of Africa’s leading dairy exporters.He said the dairy subsector contributes significantly to the livestock industry and the national economy.
“In livestock, dairy contributes about 72 percent. We have both domestic and export markets, which provide enormous opportunities for farmers willing to invest in dairy production,” he said.
He further highlighted ongoing government interventions to strengthen the sector, including the Resilience Project, which supports farmers in rural areas with dairy farming knowledge and links them to suppliers of dairy equipment.
Magona also revealed that MAAIF, working together with National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), has developed and rolled out anti-tick vaccines to reduce tick infestations that affect milk production.
“We encourage farmers to work closely with veterinary officers so they can access these innovations and improve productivity,” he said.
Speaking after touring the exhibition, Prime Minister Nabbanja commended the ministry for using the agricultural show as a platform to transfer knowledge and technology to farmers.
“This is very nice. Thank you for coming here and supporting our farmers to acquire knowledge and skills regarding dairy. Now it is time for farmers to come and learn these modern skills,” she said.
The exhibition also features demonstrations on milk quality testing and food safety.Opakasi Sammy, Senior Laboratory Technologist in the Department of Dairy Development and Production, said the ministry is demonstrating equipment used to test milk quality as part of efforts to protect consumers and strengthen regulation of the dairy industry.
“We have several pieces of equipment that detect the quality of milk. We are doing this for consumer safety because it is our mandate to regulate milk quality,” Opakasi said.
He urged farmers to observe proper hygiene during milking and avoid practices that compromise milk safety.
“If someone is suffering from tuberculosis, they should not milk cows. Likewise, milk from cows suffering from mastitis should not be consumed until the animal has been treated,” he said.
The 32nd National Agricultural Show, which opened on June 26, runs until July 5 and has brought together farmers, researchers, government agencies and private sector players to showcase innovations aimed at modernising Uganda’s agriculture sector.
