In the 2026/2027 financial year, the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB) is seeking to make an imprint on the agricultural sector by doubling up on its efforts for the ordinary livestock farmer.
Early in the year, I was part of the media team that visited Kasolwe stock farm in Kamuli district. We were told that there is a quiet revolution taking place and that farmers are no longer merely surviving, but they are thriving, thanks to a national effort to transform Uganda’s animal genetics.
Kasolwe is one of the model stock farms under the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB), the entity charged with rewriting the narrative of livestock farming in Uganda.
Kasolwe is a vast area of land covering more than a square mile and we only managed to cover about 50 per cent of it. But that alone was enough to give me pointers on how NAGRC&DB plans to transform the farming sector.
There are swaths of hectares planted with animal forages such as grasses, hay, energy-rich corn and protein supplements, and then there is the Kasolwe goat, a new breed developed by NAGRC&DB genetic researchers, which is not only fast-yielding but also disease-resistant.
Therefore, it was not unexpected that the board of directors and management of NAGRC&DB gathered in Entebbe for a strategic retreat to plan for the 2026/2027 financial year between August 6 and 7.
The discussions were anchored on the National Animal Breeding Strategy and Action Plan, a comprehensive blueprint designed to supercharge livestock productivity, commercialize breeding and conserve indigenous genetic resources across dairy, beef, pig, poultry, and fish value chains.
According to recent records released by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos), the livestock sector supports an estimated 71 per cent of Ugandan households and contributes approximately 4.5 per cent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Within the agricultural sector, livestock accounts for up to 17 per cent of agricultural GDP, with the dairy industry alone contributing 40 to 50 per cent of this figure. These statistics reflect the sector’s immense potential, which NAGRC&DB is now systematically unlocking.
Going back to the Entebbe retreat, Ben Anyama, the NAGRC&DB board chair, outlined the agency’s ambitious agenda.
“The National Animal Breeding Strategy is focusing on enhancing commercialization of breeding, boosting livestock productivity, and conserving indigenous genetic resources across dairy, beef, pigs, poultry, and fish value chains,” he said.
According to Anyama, other core objectives include mass breeding and multiplication to accelerate production of high-yielding, climate-smart dairy, beef, goat, pig, and poultry breeds.
“This is not just about increasing numbers; it is about ensuring that every farmer, regardless of scale, can access superior genetics.”
Meanwhile, Dr Peter Beine, the NAGRC&DB executive director, emphasized a community-centric approach. “Our approach to implementing Community-Based Animal Breeding Programmes (CBBP) has yielded positive results over the years and we are seeking to increase manpower to guide smallholders in genetic selection,” he explained.
This model is already bearing fruit in regions like Busoga and the cattle corridor, where farmers are being organized into breeding societies and trained in modern genetic selection techniques.
THE NUMBERS THAT MATTER
The agency’s impact is tangible. At the Kasolwe Stock Farm, NAGRC&DB produces and distributes high-quality livestock breeds at subsidised rates. The recently transformed Kasolwe Stock Farm is now a centre of excellence.
NAGRC&DB is producing and distributing high-quality livestock breeds at subsidised rates in a centre of excellence. In the Busoga sub-region alone, the agency has distributed more than 500,000 improved Kuroiler chicks, 10,000 cross-breed bulls, 5,000 pigs as well as 165 Kasolwe brown goats.
According to Dr Katali Benda, the programme officer for small ruminants at NAGRC&DB, these are not ordinary breeds.
“The Kasolwe brown goat, for instance, is drought-tolerant and can produce up to four kids a year. It is very competitive because it can have many kids quickly, grows fast (up to 127 grams per day), has high survival rates for its young, and is tough against common diseases like haemonchosis and heartwater that often affect goats in Uganda, he says.
“At maturity, a female Kasolwe brown goat breed weighs up to 65kg while males can grow up to 75kg.”
At the retreat, it was also revealed that NAGRC&DB’s new dual-purpose Kuroiler birds lay between 150 and 200 eggs annually, compared to roughly 40 eggs from indigenous breeds. They also reach market weights of two to 3.5kg within five months, significantly boosting farmer incomes.
In the past two years alone, NAGRC&DB has successfully inseminated over 10,000 cattle in the Busoga sub-region, dramatically improving herd quality and milk production. The agency currently produces and avails high-quality semen and liquid nitrogen to farmers countrywide, supporting rapid genetic improvement.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR FARMERS
For the average Ugandan farmer, these developments translate into concrete opportunities, which include access to high-yielding breeds.
“Farmers can now access subsidized, superior genetics that produce more milk, meat, and eggs, directly boosting household incomes,” says Dr Beine.
“We are backed by our heavy-duty feed production machinery at Kasolwe, which is producing compounded poultry, piggery, and dairy cattle feeds.”
According to Dr Beine, through community-based breeding programs, NAGRC&DB will increase the rate at which farmers receive hands-on training in artificial insemination (AI), disease control, and genetic selection, a move he says will empower them to manage their herds professionally.
“We have successfully aligned our operations with the Parish Development Model (PDM) and managed to reach out to the last-mile farmers from all corners of the country. This has also enabled us to put more focus on indigenous and climate-smart breeds like the Kasolwe brown goat to ensure that farmers can withstand the vagaries of climate change, maintaining productivity even in harsh conditions,” he adds.
YOUTH AND WOMEN INCLUSION
At the retreat, several speakers emphasized government’s deliberate focus on gender and equity in ensuring that women, youth, and persons with disabilities have equal access to improved breeds and training, fostering inclusive growth.
Meanwhile, the strategic investments NAGRC&DB is making are laying the foundation for a more robust economy. In March, 2026, parliament endorsed a Shs 56.96 billion injection into livestock breeding infrastructure, including the Bukedea and Serere breeding centres, under the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV).
All in all, this funding is expected to accelerate mass restocking and community breeding initiatives, which are expected to strengthen the nation’s livestock value chain and support Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) initiatives among rural households.
Therefore, NAGRC&DB, through its strategic retreat, is proving that with the right genetics, training and support, Uganda can achieve food security, create jobs and drive sustainable economic growth.