Joseph Olanyo
2 October 2008
Government has lifted a ban on importation of semen, a move expected to boost animal husbandry.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, said Government is also promoting animal traction as a way of improving animal husbandry.
"Almost 12 years of a ban was a long time. It was causing much stress to those who are involved," Ms Kadaga said during celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of a charity, Send-A-Cow Uganda, in Kampala on September 25,
Ms Kadaga said animal traction is an economically viable development that should be promoted alongside the tractor project.
She said the animal traction project will go along way to changing livelihoods of people in rural areas. The ban on importation of semen, beef and beef products was imposed following the outbreak of mad cow disease from European countries associated with it.
The Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries is importing 500 tractors.
Send-A-Cow's executive director Mr Samuel Kawumi said the organisation' has worked directly with about 7,000 households and seen significant transformation in the lives of the farmer partners at household levels.
"Send-A-Cow is a very important catalyst for change and our approach is based on natural systems, which lead to three to five time's yields," Mr Kawumi said.
Send-A-Cow was founded in 1988 in response to an appeal by then Church of Uganda Archbishop, Dr. Mpalanyi Nkoyooyo, to farmers in the UK to help combat poverty, which had escalated due to civil strife in the 1970s and 1980s.
'As we mark 20 years, we are mindful of the fact that poverty is still prevalent in communities, more people are susceptible to poverty, lack of sufficient food and given the rapidly growing population this could get worse," Mr Kawumi said.
Send-A-Cow Uganda was the first programme in the line that now includes interventions in at least nine other African countries.
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