ANIMAL HUSBANDARY PRACTICES OF MIXED SMALLHOLDER ORGANIC

FARMERS IN UGANDA: CHALLENGES AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

Sylvia Nalubwama Muwanga (BVM, Msc, PhD Fellow- Mak)

Background• Organic farming- Context• Globally, there is 37.5million hectares of organic agricultural land and

31million hectares of non-agricultural land (aquaculture, forests, grazing land)- certified and in-conversion

- More than 1.9 million organic producers in 2012. The largest number in Asia(36%), Africa (30%) and Europe (17%). Statistics by FiBL& IFOAM,2014)

• Organic agricultural systems rely on ecological processes, biodiversity, and cycles adapted to local conditions rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects.

• Organic agriculture in Uganda- Many farmers practice ‘defacto’ organic agriculture- Has largest organic land & producers– 230,000hectares and 189,000 organic

producers (FiBL& IFOAM,2014)- Attributed to prevailing niche markets- consumer concerns for food safety, environment, animal welfare etc..

-Increased need for food production-Competition for land for food and feed production-Trends towards intensification of production

Contd..• Integration and diversification in mixed organic

farming systems- Nutrient recycling - Soil fertility and animal nutrition- Production of quality animal product for niche organic

markets.- Other business focus- Ecotourism, care services, cottage

processing.

• Organic livestock production is almost non-existent - Limited market pull for organic animal products- Prevalent endemic livestock diseases• There is scarcity of published information on livestock

practices, challenges and opportunities under organic systems.

Aim• Get insights into organic farmers’ knowledge and

animal husbandry practices.• To identify challenges and opportunities of

livestock production under organic farming systems.• To suggest strategies for development of

integrated organic livestock-crop farming systems.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

• Study area and population: Certified organic pineapple farmers owning livestock in Kayunga and Luwero districts

• Sample selection: Purposeful sampling for sites and population, snowball sampling for the respondents (90)

• Data collection: interviews using a semi structured questionnaire

• Data analysis: SPSS statistical package for descriptive statistics. Chi- square and T- tests were used to test for difference in distribution of responses.

Key findings

Parameter Kayunga (n=37) Luwero (n=53) SEM P-value

Land Size (Acres)

4.8 10.1 1.26 0.0001

No. of animals per species

       

Cattle 1.61 2.33 0.38 0.065

Goats 1.86 2.09 0.48 0.633

Pigs 1.91 0.94 0.49 0.053

Chickens 4.85 8.79 1.33 0.005

Table 1: Land size, types of species and means of livestock numbers

Key findings-Animal species Breeds- mainly Indigenous

Key findings- • Farm enterprises: various

livestock, crops and trees.• Animal breeding: Natural

mating • Farm labour – Family (70%)• Feed resources: mainly

natural pastures – others- crop residues, improved pastures mainly Napier grass

• Housing system: 64% had no animal housing

• Disease management: -veterinary drugs - ruminants - herbal concoctions- Poultry

• Feeding system- mainly tethering

Photos: Upper: Zero grazing system Lower: Tethering system

Key findings: Feed conservation and record keeping

Parameter %

Feed conservation YesNo

14%86%

Feed conservation methods

Standing hayFodder banksSilage

11.1%88.9%-

Reasons for not conserving feed

Natural pastures availableNo trainingFew animalsOthers (lands-ize, labor, no fodder)

58.1%21.0%11.3%9.6%

Record Keeping YesNo

66%34%

Types of records Financial crop productionLivestock inventoryBreeding recordsMilk production recordsVisitors book

42.2%27.8%5.6%2.2%4.4%17.8%

Challenges and coping strategiesKey challenges• Inadequate feeds mainly during dry seasons• Livestock pests and diseases ( Helminthes, endemic

tick born diseases and new castle)Coping strategies• Use tolerant breeds, herbal concoctions as coping

strategies to deal with disease. • Use crop-residues and other non-conventional feeds

like pineapple wastes as supplementsOther challenges Expensive labor and inputs, small land sizes and markets for animal products.

What findings indicate for future development of these organic systems.

• Diversity on organic farms• Basis for well-balanced systems for nutrient recycling • Adoption of organic animal husbandry –production of organic

animal products, use of herbal medicines

• Farm resources• Farmers have small land sizes, rely on family labor• Diversified nature of the system also means competition for labor,

land and investment among different activities.

• Indigenous breeds focus• Although Indigenous breeds have low productivity they are adapted

to the local environment.• Use of tolerant breeds is recommended in organic farming, disease

prevention is preferably based on this.• However, there is need for improvement in productivity through

vigorous selection of these indigenous breeds.

contd..Feeding systems• Free range systems provide outdoor access to animals that is

recommended for organic farming • But, increases risk of animals coming in contact with parasites.• Using synthetic veterinary drugs is limited in organic systems.• Therefore need for strict management and alternatives remedies.

Feed resources• Natural pastures are the major feed resources • However, availability is seasonal leading to scarcity during dry seasons• Nutrients mainly Nitrogen is limiting in most tropical pastures.• Use of protein supplements like cereals faces competition as human

foods.• Promotion of use of trees and scrub forages that are readily available in

organic systems can be important feed for livestock. They are significant protein supplements.

CONCLUSION • Organic livestock production may be non-existent, but some

practices in the existing organic systems that are compatible with organic principles and standard can be a basis for future development .

• Future development of organic animal production will be enhanced by devising innovative strategies to tackle existing and future challenges.

Suggested strategies for development…

• Attitude change• Investment 1. Infrastructure-on farm and off- farm (Physical and systems)2. Research into appropriate technologies to address feed and

disease challenges- Improved indigenous cattle breeds, nutritive organic feed, alternative treatments.

3. Training- Skills and knowledge for farmers and advisors

This ca be achieved through efforts of the farmers together with public-private partnerships.

Acknowledgement: 1. DANIDA through ProGroV- project for funding2. Supervisors: Drs. Fred Kabi (MAK) &Mette Vaarst (Aarhus University, Denmark)

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