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Poultry sector players get platform for sharing experiences and ideas
Participants at the historic launch of the National Multistakeholder Coordination Platform (MSCP) at MUZARDI on Nov 14, 2024. Photo: Owen Singura
A forum for sharing ideas, news and information about the rapidly growing poultry industry has been established.
Dubbed the National Multistakeholder Coordination Platform (MSCP) for Chicken Value Chain Players in Uganda, the platform was launched at Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MUZARDI) in Mukono district on November 14, 2924.
MUZARDI is one of the 16 arms of the National Agriculture Research Organization (NARO).
Players from across the Chicken value chain converged at Ntawo – Mukono district and agreed to work together to share knowledge, and solutions to challenges that affect the business.
The meeting was organized as part of a project dubbed: “Greening the Chicken Value Chain” that is supported by the Science for Africa Foundation.
The project seeks to address challenges facing poultry farmers using knowledge and ideas that do not cause global warming, the key driver of climate change.
Dr. Imelda Night Kashaija, the former Deputy Director Genera of NARO in Charge of technology promotion, praised the forum as the first of its kind.
Dr. Kashaija said that the platform will create opportunities such as better coordination of efforts by the government to curb unemployment among young people.
The platform comes as a timely intervention considering the fact that despite its major contribution to food and income security, the poultry sector is highly vulnerable to climate change.
Data from the 2021 Ministry of Agriculture’s Livestock and Household Census indicated that the number of households that were keeping chicken had grown from 1.5M to 5.8m between 2008 and 5.8.
Mr. Owen Singura, the project coordinator for “Greening the Chicken Value Chain in Uganda” observed that the platform: “Will provide a conducive environment to address shared challenges and capitalise on joint opportunities hence setting a strong example for climate resilience in agriculture and positioning Uganda as a leader in sustainable poultry production.”
Singura noted that as part of the project, researchers conducted a study through which they identified key actors and challenges at each stage of the value chain from producers and input providers to distributors and consumers.
He said: “This groundwork has established a solid foundation for expanding engagement at a national level.”
He added: “We realised that there was no platform for the chicken value chain like the case is for Maize or the dairy sector.”
But as NARO we couldn’t impose a platform on the people without having a coalition of the willing. We needed to have that come from the stakeholders. Judging by how the views by the stakeholders, it was a resounding yes. From there we’re going to establish communication channels to further exchange ideas.”
Participants in the Chicken Value Chain gathering witnessed a number of climate smart innovations that promoters say reduce expenses on energy, feeds and waste management.
Benjamin Kaluubi, a commercial poultry farmer from Luwero said he benefited from the exposure to Sistema Biogas that converts poultry waste into biogas for cooking, and brooding chicks.
“We were finding it difficult to dispose of waste from broiler chicken because farmers usually don’t want to take it before it decomposes. Knowing that one can use it as a source of energy was reassuring,” said Kaluubi.
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