Uganda
Capital: Kampala
Population: 32,369,558
Population below national poverty line: 35%
Bóthar in Uganda:
Bóthar has been working in Uganda since 1991. Uganda is the first country that Bóthar ever airlifted Irish animals to, sending the first airlift of 20 in-calf dairy heifers to Uganda in Christmas 1991. Our program in Uganda has involved a wide variety of species, including, dairy cows, goats, pigs, rabbits, oxen, honey bees and a large scale multi-purpose tree project.
Uganda Project Profiles
Project title:
Tororo Dairy Project
Location: Uganda, Tororo District
Number of families: 65
Animals: 65 dairy heifers
Other inputs: Planting and managing animal feed and fodder, construction of heifer zero-grazing units, spray equipment, veterinary drugs, A.I. straws, heifer shelters, vegetable seeds
Training: Animal husbandry, HIV/AIDS awareness, environmentally friendly agricultural practices, A.I. techniques
Brief synopsis: The overall aim of this project is to establish food security and alleviate poverty in the Tororo District through the placing of 65 in-calf dairy heifers with 65 families initially and training them in animal husbandry and forage improvement.
Pass-on obligations: The families are expected to pass on what they have received
Expected benefits: Improved income can lead to increased access to education, improved housing and a better diet for the whole family
Local partner(s): Heifer Uganda
Project title:
Katende Heifer Project
Location: Mpigi district, Kiringantee sub-county, Uganda
Number of families: 166 orphans
Animals: 6 in-calf heifers
Other inputs: Materials for building sheds
Training: Integrated farming, environmental conservation, dairy animal management, clean milk production and handling and sustainable agriculture
Brief synopsis: An orphanage of 166 children, many of whom suffer from HIV/AIDS, is the focus of this project. The orphanage will receive 6 in-calf heifers for the orphanage farm which will be a source of milk and income.
Expected benefits: The introduction of these animals will improve the diets of the children in the orphanage while the surplus milk will be sold locally. Proceeds from this sale will then be returned to the running of the orphanage.
Local partner(s): Katende Orphanage Home, Heifer Uganda
Project title:
Busunju Grass root Farmers Project
Location: Busunju, north-west of Kampala
Number of families: 110
Animals: Dairy cattle
Other inputs: Energy saving stoves, fodder and fruit trees, vegetable seeds, A.I kits, motorcycle
Training: Human nutrition, animal health, constructing cow sheds and energy saving stoves, banana and fruit tree establishment and management, pest and disease control
Brief synopsis: This project involves the distribution of dairy cattle among 110 families in Busunju. Along with this, families will be trained in all aspects of animal care and fruit and vegetable growing.
Pass-on obligations: The families will pass on what they received
Expected benefits: Increased use of manure has led to increased sale of vegetables and bananas
Local partner(s): Busunju Grass Root Farmers Group, Heifer Uganda
Other relevant data: 70 families have established kitchen gardens that have improved household nutrition
Project title:
Nakasongola Women Piggery Project
Location: Nakasongola District, Central Uganda.
Number of families: 110
Animals: 225 breeding pigs
Other inputs: Veterinary medicine, multipurpose trees, pig sties
Training: Piggery management, integrated livestock, sustainable agriculture and environment protection.
Brief synopsis: The aims of this project are threefold. Firstly, the provision of pigs with the families will improve income and diet but also the breed of pig will improve the stock of the entire area. Lastly, this project aims to promote environmental protection through practicing sustainable agriculture and planting of multipurpose trees by beneficiaries in the project area.
Pass-on obligations: All recipient beneficiaries will pass-on the first 2 piglets (male and female) to another family
Expected benefits: Manure from the pigs will improve soil fertility resulting in increased crop yields thus improving food security and family incomes.
Local partner(s): Nakasongola Women Development Association (NAWDA)
Project title:
HIV/AIDS Umbrella Project
Location: Masaka, Mbale & Tororo Districts, Uganda
Number of families: 1,574
Animals: 1,620 local goats, 440 gilt pigs, 40 dairy cows and 90 oxen
Other inputs: Planting and managing animal feed and fodder, construction of animal shelters, vegetable seeds and fruit seedlings, ox-ploughs
Training: HIV/AIDS awareness, human nutrition, pasture establishment, improved farming techniques, animal husbandry, post harvest handling and marketing
Brief synopsis: This project seeks to promote food security and improved nutrition amongst families affected or infected by HIV/AIDS through the distribution of livestock. The increase in household incomes will be achieved through the sale of off-spring, crops and milk. Continuous household counselling will also be provided for those suffering with the virus. Finally, this project aims to improve the quality of livestock through improved management and breeding.
Pass-on obligations: Goats, pigs, cows, oxen and ploughs will all be passed on
Expected benefits: Participants in this project will benefit from their animals through the consumption and sale of their products. The oxen and ploughs will also till the land and improve vegetable production. Consequently, the diets, health and income of project beneficiaries will improve.
Local partner(s): The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO) and Heifer Uganda
Other relevant data: Locals will be trained as A.I. technicians to service the area
Project title:
Baitambogwe Heifer Project
Location: Baitambogwe sub-county, Mayuge District, Uganda
Number of families: 90
Animals: 90 in-calf dairy heifers
Other inputs: A.I. Straws, veterinary drugs, organic kitchen and backyard gardens, zero-grazing units and water points
Training: Planting and managing animal fodder, construction of heifer shelters, HIV/AIDS awareness, environmentally friendly agricultural practices, animal husbandry, training of local veterinarians or Community Animal Health Volunteers (CAHVs)
Brief synopsis: The goal of this project is to establish food security and alleviate the poverty of women and youth in Baitambogwe sub-county through sustainable integrated livestock farming. This will be done by training the beneficiaries, planting and managing animal feed and fodder and then placing 90 high quality in-calf dairy heifers with 90 needy families, and providing them with the necessary means to maintain the animals through training and selected inputs into their development.
Pass-on obligations: Families involved in the project will be required to pass on the first female offspring to a needy family in their area
Expected benefits: The prevention of malnutrition by the introduction of good quality dairy livestock will ensure a healthy local population. Each benefiting family has surplus income to purchase items such as food, to improve their household and educate their children
Local partner(s): Rural Development Foundation Group (RDFG) and Heifer Uganda
Other relevant data: Ancillary benefits of improved income in this context typically, are, increased access to education, improved housing, the breaking of the poverty cycle and an improvement in status within the community. The local community will take over the running of this project after 3 years. This project was co-funded by Irish Aid.
Project title:
Lugazi Diocese Heifer Project
Location: Kyaggwe County, Mukono District, Uganda
Number of families: 106
Animals: 106 in-calf Heifers
Other inputs: 200 Multi-Purpose Trees
Training: Animal care, home hygiene, human nutrition, enterprise development, social & organizational development, marketing practices, soil & water conservation, environment protection, HIV/AIDS and gender awareness
Brief synopsis: This project aims to raise the local population to a self sustainable level by seeking out improved prices for farming produce, security of food production through environmental awareness and conservation and to increase the number of benefiting families through the pass-on obligation.
Pass-on obligations: 55
Expected benefits: This project aims to improve the well-being of the local families through increased income, increased livestock production and increased food production
Co-financing partner(s): Lugazi Diocese, Heifer Uganda
Other relevant data: This is an extension of a previous Bóthar supported project.
Project title:
Bariisa Ruhama Heifer Project
Location: Ruhaama Sub Country, Ntungamo district in western Uganda
Number of families: 30
Animals: 30 dairy heifers
Training: Project beneficiaries will be trained in livestock management, zero grazing, soil and water conservation practices, crop husbandry, integrated farming, human nutrition, HIV/AIDS and gender awareness.
Brief synopsis: 30 members of Bariisa Ruhaama Heifer Project will receive dairy heifers. The project was formed with the overall goal of eradicating poverty and improving the standard of living of the members through dairy farming in Ruhaama Sub Country
Pass-on obligations: Beneficiaries who receive an original in- calf heifer will pass on one heifer at 12 months of age and in good health in addition to passing on their knowledge.
Expected benefits: Improvement in household nutrition and income, protection of the environment, HIV/AIDS awareness.
Local partner(s): Heifer Uganda, National Strategy for Advancement of Women (NSARWO)
Project title:
Expansion Loan of MADDO Dairies Plant Activities in Masaka District
Location: Uganda, Masaka municipality, Nyendo Ssenyange Division
Number of families: 120 families are involved in providing milk for this processing plant
Other inputs: Vehicle
Brief synopsis: The processing plant requires a new 2 tonne vehicle for distribution and a second pasteuriser due to increased milk production at the plant
Expected benefits: The purchase of this vehicle will solve the problem of collecting all the milk from the local farmers. It will also enable the establishment and expansion of markets for farmers’ milk, increase the shelf life of the milk products and improve the nutritional standards of people while creating employment opportunities
Local partner(s): Catholic Diocese of Masaka, Masaka Diocese Development Organisation (MADDO), Heifer Uganda
Project title:
Animal Traction in Eastern Uganda; Increasing Food Production
Location: Kumi District, Eastern Uganda
Number of families: 64
Animals: 64 Oxen
Other inputs: 13 ploughs
Training: Integrated farming, animal traction technology, organic farming, environmental protection, human nutrition, gender equity, HIV/AIDS awareness, livestock management, sustainable agriculture and environmental management.
Brief synopsis: 64 oxen and 13 ploughs will be distributed per year of the project to the farming families along with the necessary training in how to care for their animal and plough the land. The farmers will be trained in sustainable agriculture and given seeds to grow vegetables and traditional crops, including, sweet potatoes, millet, sorghum, beans and cassava. Along with this, a tree nursery will be established together with water harvesting techniques that will allow the farmers to thrive even in drier periods of the year.
Pass-on obligations: The farmers are expected to pass-on what they themselves have received
Expected benefits: By 2011, 50% increase in food production per family, 80% increase in families participating in environmental protection
Local partner(s): Kollei Amora Ican Farmers and Rearing Group, VIVA Ireland, Heifer Uganda
Other relevant data: This project is co-financed by Irish Aid
Project title:
Proposal for a Dairy Plant for Luweero Diocese
Location: Luweero District, Uganda
Number of families: 348
Other inputs: Milk cooler, generator, deep freezer
Brief synopsis: The Church of Uganda Luweero Diocese Heifer Project will further ensure the income of the local farmers by setting up a milk collection and processing centre.
Expected benefits: Increased income for local project farmers and entrance into the Ugandan milk market
Local partner(s): The Church of Uganda Luweero Diocese Heifer Project, Heifer Uganda
Other relevant data: The local partner is contributing the building to accommodate the dairy processing equipment, a packing machine for yoghurt, a technician and the transportation of the machines.
Project title:
HPI Bóthar Dairy Goat Project
Location: The goats have been distributed to numerous projects nationwide
Number of families: 365
Animals: 372 Irish dairy goats (7 males and 365 female)
Training: Animal management, crop production and social aspects like Gender Equity, HIV/AIDS awareness and Home hygiene
Brief synopsis: On the 19th of December 2008, 372 Dairy goats arrived, by airlift, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, to Entebbe Airport. After the quarantine period, the goats were then distributed among the families who had been trained and were waiting on their arrival.
Pass-on obligations: To date, the families have passed on to 55 additional families
Expected benefits: Family nutrition and income status has been improved through the consumption of goat milk and sale of surplus milk, reducing diseases such as kwashiorkor in children and generally improving their health status. Farmer’s vegetable yields have been increased due to use of goat droppings and urine as organic fertiliser.
Local partner(s): Heifer Uganda
Other relevant data: Beneficiaries have planted multipurpose trees. Energy saving stoves have been constructed to reduce pressure on trees and time saving for women and children.
Project title:
Namirembe Diocese Tree Planting Project
Location: Namirembe Diocese, Kampala
Number of families: All Diocesan members are viable for selection
Other inputs: Multi-purpose trees and fruit trees, equipment, wheelbarrows, watering cans, chemicals, spray pumps
Training: Agro-forestry
Brief synopsis: Namirembe Diocese aims to curb local deforestation through sensitising locals on their environment and providing them with trees so as to aid them in building sustainable livelihoods
Expected benefits: Reverse the current trend of mass deforestation in the locality creating a more balanced local ecology
Local partner(s): Namirembe Diocese Church of Uganda, Heifer Uganda
Other relevant data: A Diocesan Forest Officer will be appointed and will provide guidance to locals on the intricacies of agro forestry.
Project title:
Nyabushozi Women Meat Goat Cross Breeding Project
Location: Nyabushozi County, Kiruhura District, Mbarara, Uganda
Number of families: 2,000
Animals: Fodder plants for Meat Goats
Training: Nursery establishment, management and silvi-cultural operations, also in record keeping and proper tree species mixing, additional training in gender equity, marketing, organisational development and human nutrition
Brief synopsis: This agro-forestry project will provide shrubs for goats. It will also aim at environment conservation, and food security of 2,000 needy families
Expected benefits: Increase in construction industry, goat population increase, increase in income of the local people, improvement on the food security and foodstuffs for goats
Local partner(s): Nyabushozi Women Development Association
