NAADS Distributes Over 3,000 Pigs to Farmers Across the Country
The Government of Uganda through the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) has resumed the distribution of livestock materials mainly pigs to special interest groups across the country for improved household incomes.
According to Dr. Thomas Nsemerirwe, the Livestock Development Officer at NAADS, in this current financial year 2023/24, NAADS has procured a total of 3,352 pigs, and distribution to beneficiaries has commenced with four archdioceses of Kampala, Gulu, Tororo and Mbarara among those that have received first.
“The four archdioceses requested this support and based on the available resources, we have provided them with 180 pigs with each archdioceses receiving 45”, explained Dr. Nsemerirwe
Dr. Nsemerirwe says the pigs provided this year are the breeding pigs that are given to farmers for multiplication purposes. 2,234 are females while 1,118 are males.
“We caution the beneficiaries of these pigs not to slaughter them for meat or to sell them off to butchers because they are strictly for breeding to enable multiplication”, explained Dr. Nsemerirwe.
He further noted that the current support for livestock materials targets special interest groups like the youth, religious institutions, women groups, associations of the disabled, widows, and spouses of security officers among others.
Receiving the pigs on behalf of the Uganda Episcopal Conference at the NAADS Secretariat, Father Joseph Mary Ssebunya, the youth Chaplain of the Province expressed his gratitude to NAADS for the support rendered to them.
“We requested this support from NAADS because as the Church of Christ, we focus on the holistic development of the faithful that includes both the spiritual, financial as well as the social wellbeing of the congregation”, said Father Sebunnya.
He said the pigs received are going to be given to the youth in the different archdioceses to improve their livelihoods.
Since 2015, NAADS has distributed over 20,000 pigs to farmers across the country for household income in different District Local Governments and special interest groups such as youth and women.
