KICHWAMBA MIXED FARM PROJECT CONCEPT PAPER

1.0 INTRODUCTION/PROJECT BRIEF

KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM is a mixed farming enterprise

promoting livestock farming activities (poultry and piggery production) as well as
maize growing. The project farm is based at Kicwamba, Bunyaruguru County in
the newly-created Rubirizi District. The location of the project farm is
approximately 2 kms off the Bushenyi – Kasese highway and is within easy reach
from the mains electricity supply grid and potable water sources within the area.

KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM has two livestock sections (i.e. the
poultry rearing section and the piggery production section). The poultry rearing
section is starting off with 7,000 layers and 2,000 broiler chicken which will grow
exponentially in numbers with time and as the farm facilities and structures are
gradually expanded to a full capacity projection of 10,000 layers and 4,000 broilers
respectively.

The piggery farm section proposes to start off with 40 pigs which are projected to
increase to a combined pig population of 600 swine by the end of the first year – on
the assumption that the original 40 pigs comprised of 36 gilts (young female pigs
that have not yet given birth) and 4 boars, and that each sow litters twice a year
with each litter consisting of 8 piglets.

The main output products of the will therefore be eggs and broiler chicken and 6 – 7
month old pigs.

The maize farm is expected to produce sufficient maize crop for milling into
poultry/piggery feeds with a surplus for sale as maize grain/posho on the open
market. At a projected yield of 4.5 Metric Tons/Acre, the farm expects to harvest not
less than 270 Metric Tons of maize crop per season, or 540 Metric Tons of maize
crop in a single year of two seasons. The maize that will be sold on the open market
should be able to generate sufficient supplementary income to support on-farm and
off-farm production and operational activities.

In marketing its farm outputs, KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM will be
targeting four distinct market segments: the broiler chicken and pig butcheries
market segment; the thriving tourism and hospitality market segment around the
Queen Elizabeth National park and adjoining Game Reserves; the urban
supermarket and large restaurants/hotels market segment; and the individual
customer market segment. The tourism and hospitality market by far has shown to
be the fastest growing and most dynamic market segment for poultry products in
particular (especially eggs and dressed chicken), while broiler chicken and pig
butcheries are a rapidly market segment in Western Uganda with an annual growth
rate of about 30%. The individual customers will be purchasing poultry products and
market-sale pigs directly from the KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM.
This segment is growing at 12% and has an existing customer base of well over

1
120,000 potential consumers within Rubirizi District and the adjacent Bushenyi
District alone. The fourth market segment comprising of local restaurants/hotels
and supermarket chains is relatively smaller but shows a lot of positive growth
promise as demand for poultry and piggery products continues to grow fast and
gain relative market share and prominence. KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY
FARM will also negotiate forward and spot supply contracts for poultry and piggery
products to large supermarkets in Kampala but with area retail and out-sourcing
branches in Mbarara, Bushenyi and Kasese towns (e.g. Shoprite, Nakumatt, etc.).
These retail supermarket chains have more consistency in poultry and piggery
product demand throughout the year as well as the capacity to collect from the
nearest urban centres as outlined above.

KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM was founded and is headed by

Byakutaga Robert. Robert is a well-educated, outgoing, dynamic and energetic
agricultural entrepreneur who draws inspiration from his strong farming family
background. Robert’s main advantage is that he has had a previous background
exposure to livestock farming projects in Rubirizi District though at a much smaller
scale/scope than what he proposes to do. The additional motivating factor that
gives him special incentive to expand the farm is the fact that he already has a
large farm space as well as personal savings and financial capital (equity) that he
has already made good use of to install the piggery and poultry farming
infrastructure, while using the excess land for maize-growing to provide feed inputs
for the poultry and pigs raised on the farm.

2
2.0 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Rubirizi District happens to be one of the newly-created districts that were carved
out of the original Bushenyi Districts by an Act of Parliament in July 2010. Being a
new district, it faces enormous challenges in terms of setting up administrative
infrastructure at Rubirizi; putting in place and spreading key physical infrastructure
such as power, water and sanitation facilities, and roads to the more remote and
outlying rural areas in the district; making and implementing socio-economic
enhancement projects such as provision of schooling and primary health facilities;
carrying out mass adult literacy education programmes as part of the broader
programme to eradicate illiteracy and the rampant rural poverty; creating jobs and
generating thousands of employment opportunities for the rural youth in the area
-who represent the largest segment of the local rural population; generating and
disseminating knowledge on how the local residents can make best use of the
locally-available resources and trade/tourism opportunities in the area to expand
their socio-economic and sustain their livelihoods; and most significantly, training
and educating locals on techniques and methodologies of making the switch from
low input-low output subsistence farming practices to high input-high-output
commercial farming techniques.

Taking into consideration the above-highlighted local area development objectives

and priorities, it is quite clear that it would be a big ask of the new district
authorities to deliver the desired socio-economic development dividend to uplift its
socio-economic standards and sustain livelihoods without the critical input and
impetus from the private sector. Secondly, considering the nature of farming in
Rubirizi District and its agro-ecological conditions, KICHWAMBA POULTRY &
PIGGERY FARM believes that the livelihoods of the majority smallholder farmers
can best be improved through the adoption and implementation of sustainable
commercial agriculture (SCA) practices.

Currently the majorities of farmers in Rubirizi are not practicing Sustainable Commercial
Agriculture and hence often face food insecurity and poverty leading to environmental
degradation while in search for food. This is largely due to the following factors:

• Lack of skills and knowledge e.g. what, when and how to grow.
• Lack of information on sharing and use.
• Lack of research back up.
• Gender inequity.
• Little advocacy in Sustainable Commercial Agriculture.
• Few marketing opportunities (information, skills and outlets).
• Lack of access to credit facilities.
• Lack of input supply and poor availability resources.

3
Other problems symptomatic of Rubirizi District that are closely associated with lack
of know-how in the adoption and uptake of sustainable commercial agriculture
include, but are not limited to:

• The problem of massive youth unemployment – who by virtue of their numbers

represent a very large idle, but unexploited productive segment of the population.
• The problem of transforming and harnessing unskilled and semi-skilled youth in
Rubirizi District into a core productive population segment with the requisite skills
and know-how to practice commercial agriculture profitably and sustainably.
• We have tourist centres within the immediate bounds and vicinity of the area that
are growing in size and volume in terms of tourist arrivals and tourism revenue
receipts but lack organized and sustainable food input supply.

It is also common knowledge that one of the best ways in which agricultural
knowledge and practice on modern commercial farming can be disseminated to the
grassroots farmer communities is through some forms of public-private
partnerships involving specialized government agencies in a complimentary
relationship with capable private sector players within the target crop/animal
production areas. The agricultural enterprises set up and run by the private sector
entities can effectively be used as demonstration centres to train, inspire, and guide
the local farmers on novel approaches and techniques in scaling-up the productivity
output of their individual agricultural commercial enterprises, and within this
sphere, KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM would perfectly fit the bill as a
self-starter agricultural commercial farming unit to drive and inspire change in the
farming systems and habits of the Rubirizi District farming community that will
create the much-needed impetus and momentum for a holistic and multi-
dimensional development agenda for the area.

4
3.0 STATEMENT OF THE SOLUTION

KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM will use the following strategies to
address these constraints to solve the earlier problem statement with rural
communities in Rubirizi District as the target:

• Capacity building for Sustainable Agriculture

• Capacity building for Production Techniques
• Setting up a Demonstration/Training Centre for farmers at the farm
• Providing/disseminating enhanced livestock (poultry and piggery)
productivity inputs for commercial farming to the farmers
• Commercial farming

3.1 Capacity Building for Sustainable Agriculture

The capacity need for peasant farmers and KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY
FARM are in particular:

• Production techniques
• Marketing (farm planning and agribusiness)
• Organization development
• Advocacy skills

3.2 Capacity Building for Production Techniques

Under this programme component, the main aim of KICHWAMBA POULTRY &
PIGGERY FARM is to increase income of the rural peasants and other vulnerable groups
5
in Rubirizi District from subsistence farming to commercial farming. KICHWAMBA
POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM will target peasant farmers, vulnerable community
members (especially the youth) and Trainers of Trainers (TOT’s) and will consist of
participatory, demand driven and objective-oriented training with the support to
participatory gender sensitive monitoring and evaluation.

The content will be based on environmental sustainability, water

conservation, making and application of organic manure, food security, post harvest
handling, as well as livestock management, market orientation and optimal available
resource use.

Within marketing, capacity building is based on a practical and gender sensitive approach.
The major contents are developing a farmer-based market based information system for the
domestic market, facilitate the introduction of alternative income generating activities,
facilitate the formation of small holder business associations to trade linkages and research
on appropriate and economically viable facilities of added value.

The main focus within the organizational development support component is on strategic
planning and exploring innovative ways of KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM
to corroborate and enhance impact. It consists of facilitation or training.

3.3 Demonstration Farm/Training Centre

The KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM is intent on using its

facilities/infrastructure as a demonstration farm for improved commercial poultry
and piggery farming techniques to farmers in Rubirizi District. The farm will in this
respect function as a training centre, where technical know-how on commercial
animal farming will be transferred to farm households in the area. The farm will
recruit and retain some young farmers and sue them as trainers to instruct the local
farmers. To improve its effectiveness and operational capability, the farm will work
in close cooperation with NAADS.

KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM will put in place log schedules for
refresher courses and visitation schedules for farmers in the area. For instance,
every fortnight (2 weeks), members of the staff will gather for a day-long refresher
course; they will visit the farms in selected parishes (Miluka) in the district once a
week and participate, from time to time, in two-day seminars on the latest
technological and production innovations in agriculture.

3.4 Provision of Hybrid Poultry and Piggery Production Inputs

KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM will in addition to identification and

training of farmers in modern sustainable commercial agriculture practices provide
improved piggery and poultry breeds to selected individuals/groups in Rubirizi
District. The main thrust of this strategy is to not only increase commercial
livestock farming outputs at farm level within the district, but also to vastly improve

6
the quality and market competitiveness of piggery and poultry products that would
stand them in good stead to earn improved farm-gate prices and improve their
family incomes for sustained livelihoods.

On top of receiving improved piggery and poultry breeding stocks, KICHWAMBA

POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM will also facilitate farmers with the associated animal
husbandry inputs like veterinary drugs and feed supplements to enable the selected
farmers/farmer groups raise healthy and high-price fetching pigs/poultry products
on the market.

3.5 Commercial Farming

KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM long-term plan is to initiate

commercial farming activities. This is basically for sustainability as well as
expanding its programs, of which its lessons/outputs will be spread throughout the
rural areas in Rubirizi District for campaign against poverty. This will ensure
increased income at grass root levels to improve the livelihoods of the rural poor
particularly focused on women, the unemployed/idle youth, and orphan /child-
headed families.

Components

This includes two major activities that involve the following components:

• Commercial Crop production:

Maize has been selected for organic production and demonstration

purposes at the KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM.
Maize is processed into maize flour and maize brand for poultry and animal
feeds. At some later date, irrigation systems will be installed at the farm so
as to cater for unpredictable weather phenomena to help in maize crop
production during periods of drought.

• Animal Husbandry
This will greatly support the practicing of sustainable commercial agriculture
mainly in the area of manure making which include the following: - poultry
and pigs.

To be able to spread the beneficial impacts of commercial piggery and

poultry rearing in Rubirizi District as optimally and effectively as possible, it is
the plan of KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM to support the
farmers by using a Pig and Poultry Offspring Distribution and Rotation
System. Under this system, KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM will
reserve a quarter of the piglets produced by each sow (female pig) for
distribution to farmers who will have been trained in piggery production and
7
 management techniques at the farm. Each farmer will be given one female
piglet and one male piglet as his/her nucleus breeding stock, such that they
also pass on a breeding pair to the next farmer once the first breeding pair
they received from KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM have
reached maturity and produced off-spring. In this way, the project hopes to
create a chain distribution effect for pigs within Rubirizi District that
should greatly assist the farmers in the area to own livestock and
subsequently raise their incomes through sustainable livestock farming. The
same system/process will also be used for distribution and spread of pedigree
poultry breeds within the district basing on the KICHWAMBA POULTRY &
PIGGERY FARM as the nucleus starting point. To ensure project success
and sustainability, piggery and poultry breeding stock will only be given to
those pre-qualified farmers who will have been trained and
comprehensively educated in modern sustainable commercial farming
techniques at the demonstration farm, and have in place the basic farming
infrastructure and facilities to commence production (i.e. established land
and housing structures – where they can easily be reached for facilitation
with further production inputs and extension support), plus of course, an
aptitude and strong interest in doing settled commercial agriculture as a
profitable income generating activity/vocation.

4.0 EXPLANATION OF KEY TERMS

Agricultural commercialization – Can be defined as follows:-

• Farmers’ production is aimed mainly for sales.

• Production should be oriented to profit maximization.
• It should aim at the satisfaction of different needs and interests of
consumers.
• It is an agri –business that implies concept of business management.
• It leads to entrepreneurial achievements of farmers.

Baseline survey – a survey designed to establish initial conditions against which

the effects of a finished project can be compared.

Commodity value-chain – is used to the overall group of economic agents (or the
relevant activities of those agents) who contribute directly to the determination of a
final product. Thus the chain encompasses the complete sequence of operations
which, starting from the raw material, or an intermediate product, finishes
downstream, after several stages of transformation or increases in value, at one or
several final products at the level of the consumer.
8
 • More precisely, it is used to mean the group of agents (or part thereof) who
contribute directly to the production, then to the transformation and delivery
to final market of a single agriculture or livestock product.

Commercial farmers – consider their agricultural/livestock farms as a

small/medium/large business enterprise. Their main objective is to earn money
and sell their agricultural products at a profit.

Contract farming - Contract farming refers to a system whereby a central

processing and exporting unit purchases the harvests of individual farmers, and the
terms of the purchase are arranged through contracts. It’s a range of initiatives
taken by private and public firms to secure access to smallholder produce. The
terms of the contract vary and usually specify how much produce the contractor will
buy and at what price. The contractor often provides credit inputs and technical
advice. Contracting is a way of allocating the risks between producer and
contractor; the farmer takes the risk of production and the contractor the risk of
marketing. The basis of such arrangement is the commitment of the farmer to
provide a specific commodity in quantities and at quality standards as determined
by the purchaser and the commitment of the company to support the farmer’s
production and to purchase the commodity. The intensity of the contractual
arrangements varies according to the depth and complexity of the provisions in
each of following three areas:

• Market provision: The grower and buyer agree on terms and conditions for
the future sale and purchase of the crop or livestock;
• Resource provision: In conjunction with the marketing arrangements the
buyer agrees to supply selected inputs, including on occasions land
preparation and technical advice;
• Management specifications: The grower agrees to follow recommended
production methods, inputs regimes, and cultivation and harvesting
specifications.

Environmental sustainability – maintaining the factors and practices that

contribute to the quality of environment on a long-term basis.

Group dynamics - 1. Interaction of complex intra- and inter-personal forces

operating in a group which determine its character, development, and long-term
survival.

2. Field of study concerned with determination of laws underlying group behavior.

9
Income generating activities – can be defined as rural activities involving crop
and livestock production, processing, non-agricultural, artisanal and commercial
activities.

All these activities must fulfill certain conditions: in addition to being technically
feasible, they must also be economically and financially profitable.

Lead Farmer - identified by members of his/her group as market oriented in

production; innovative and always on the lookout for new technology and
innovations. The farmer is the rallying point for technology development hosting the
group’s technology development site (TDS), and through foundation technology
multiplication increases farmer access to such new technology. They also provide a
focal point for articulation of specific technology needs, farmer capacity
development, and entry point for service providers.

M & E Matrix - The matrix provides a format for presenting the inputs, outputs,
outcomes, and impacts—and their corresponding activities—for each program
objective. It summarizes the overall monitoring and evaluation plan by including a
list of methods to be used in collecting the data.

Nucleus model farming unit(s) – A farming unit specialized in production of an

enterprise and has a value adding/agro-processing capacity, and linkage to a
market. NAADS partnership with the nucleus farm(er) provides the focus for
establishment of an out-growers’ scheme; farmer and service provider capacity
development; technology development and multiplication; as well as market access.

Organic farming/production - Organic farming is the form of agriculture that

relies on crop rotation, green manure, compost, biological pest control, and
mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity and control pests, excluding or
strictly limiting the use of synthetic fertilizers and synthetic pesticides, plant .

Out-grower farmer system - Out-grower systems are schemes that provide

production and marketing services to farmers on their own land. For Glover and
Kusterer (1990), these generally connote a government scheme with a parastatal
enterprise, purchasing crops from farmers, either on its own or as a joint venture
with a private firm. Glover and Kusterer (1990) also use the term contract farming
to refer to the same arrangement in the private sector, where farmer and firm
engage in a forward agreement of production and marketing.

Out-grower systems should be seen as a partnership between an agro-industrial

firm and farmers. To be successful it requires a long-term commitment from both
parties. Exploitative arrangements by a company are likely to have only a limited
duration and can jeopardize agribusiness investments. Similarly, farmers need to
consider that honouring contractual arrangements is likely to be to their long-term
benefit.
10
It must be stressed that the decision to use the out-grower system modality must
be commercial. Out-grower systems that are primarily motivated by political and
social concerns rather than economic and technical realities will inevitably fail.

Public-private partnership - Public-private partnership (PPP) describes a

government service or private business venture which is funded and operated
through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies.
These schemes are sometimes referred to as PPP, or P3.

• It can also be defined as a contractual arrangement whereby a private party

performs part of a government function and assumes the associated risks. In
return, the private party receives a fee according to predefined performance
criteria.

Semi-commercial farmers – these are farmers who use their agricultural

enterprises to provide food for their family and cash to buy other commodities.
Producing agricultural products at a profit usually remains their main objective, but
on a reduced scale compared to fully commercial farmers.

Smallholder farmers - A smallholder farmer is one whose scale of operation is too

small to attract the provision of the services he/she needs to be able to significantly
increase his/her productivity.

Subsistence farming/farmers – typically produce a single agricultural

commodity/output part-time as part of other part-time agricultural activities. Their
main objective is to produce protein food for their families. Any surplus
agricultural products may be bartered with neighbours or sold on the local market
to obtain cash.

Sustainable Commercial Agriculture - In the most general terms, sustainable

agriculture describes systems in which the farmer reaches the goal of producing
adequate yields and good profits following production practices that minimize any
negative short-and long-term side effects on the environment and the well-being of
the community. The major goals of this approach are thus to develop economically
viable agro-ecosystems and to enhance the quality of the environment, so that
farmlands will remain productive indefinitely.

11
 5.0 PROOF OF KNOWLEDGE OF ISSUES PERTAINING

5.1 Status of Agriculture in Rubirizi District

Source of Livelihood

The major sources of livelihood in Rubirizi District are subsistence farming, dairy
farming, cotton growing, banana growing and trading business. Other sources of
livelihood in the district include: stone mining and fishing.

According to the 1991 Population and Housing Census, 82% of the households in
Rubirizi District (formerly – part of Bushenyi District) reported farming as the main
source of their livelihood (Table 1). Other categories of livelihood reported were
employment income, trading, property income, family support and cottage industry.

Table 1: Distribution of Households by Sex of Household Head and Source

of Livelihood in Rubirizi District
Source of Sex of Household Head Rural-Urban Total
Household Distribution
Livelihood Male Female Rural Urban
Farming 81.8 83.2 83.7 24.5 82.2
Employment Income 8.5 3.0 6.2 35.1 6.9
Trading 3.1 4.3 2.9 24.4 3.4
Property Income 0.3 0.4 0.3 1.0 0.3
Family Support 4.3 6.9 5.0 6.7 5.1
Cottage Industry 0.2 0.2 2.0 1.0 0.2
Other 1.8 1.8 1.7 7.4 1.8
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Source: Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic
Development

Subsistence Farming

This is the major source of livelihood for all the households in the community. This is
facilitated by the two rainfall seasons in a year (Tables 2 and 3). This enables
community members to grow food crops like millet, beans, cassava and sweet
potatoes twice a year. Both men and women do the growing of crops. The men were
reported to be in control of the banana plantation and looking after cattle while the
women were in control of the other food crops. Selling of bananas is the main
source of livelihood for most households in Rubirizi.

12
 Due to land shortage the poorest category of community members has access to
less than ¼ of land. They reported that they were not able to grow enough food for
their families on those small pieces of land. They, therefore, hire or rent land from
those who have a lot of land.

The other food crops mentioned earlier are grown but on a small scale due to land
shortage. Much of the harvests are for home consumption, though some surplus is
sold. Women control the proceeds from such sales. Few households in the
community have been able to grow coffee mainly due to land shortage.

Table 2: Quarterly Seasonal Calendar by Farmers in Rubirizi District

VARIABLES JANUARY- APRIL-JUNE JULY- OCTOBER-

MARCH SEPTEMBER DECEMBER
Rainfall Availability 000 000000 0 00000000
Food Availability 00 00000 0000000 0
Income Availability 00 0000 000000 00
Water Availability 000 000000 0 0000000
Prevalence of 0000 000 0000000 0000000
Diseases
Fuel wood Availability 000000 0000 00000000 00
N.B: Stones were used to indicate the seriousness of the situation. The stones
ranged from 1-10

Table 3: Monthly Seasonal Calendar by Farmers in Rubirizi District

VARIABLES MONTH OF THE YEAR
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Rainfall Availability 1 0 2 6 3 1 0 0 2 6 8 3
Agricultural Activities 1 6 8 8 7 7 7 8 10 9 9 9
Cash Availability 2 4 5 1 4 5 7 7 4 1 1 4
Human Diseases 6 6 5 3 4 5 7 7 5 4 4 6
Pasture Availability 4 3 4 8 7 6 4 2 4 7 9 6
N.B: Stones were used to indicate the seriousness of the situation. The stones
ranged from 1-10

Cotton Growing

Cotton growing in Rubirizi district is still a relatively new agricultural activity that is
mainly practiced in Katerera and Kichwamba Sub-Counties which have the kind
of climate and soil types that favour the crop. Like in most other agricultural
activities elsewhere in the district, the growing/production of cotton is dominated by
small-holder farmers whose productivity is still low as a result of production-related
constraints that are a common feature of the Ugandan cotton industry such as lack
of quality seeds, spray pumps, pesticides, fertilizers tools, and managerial factors.
However, as a new agricultural enterprise in the district, the cotton small-holders

13
are largely mostly receiving support in form of interventions, subsidies, and
mobilization from international agencies and government

Banana Growing

Banana gained value as a cash crop during Amin’s regime when the market for
coffee went down. Community members have resorted to banana growing because
the market is readily available. However, banana growing in Rubirizi district is not
as extensively done as it is the neighboring districts of Bushenyi, Mitooma, and
Kibingo districts to the south. Most of the community members sell bananas to get
some income. Being a perennial crop, bananas are grown throughout the year.
According to the seasonal calendar by men, bananas fetch a lot of money when
they are scarce. When bananas are in plenty the prices fall to as low as Shs. 1,500.

The problem associated with banana growing is the absence of leguminous crops
such as beans and soya beans. Most people concentrate on banana growing without
growing other nutritious crops. This had resulted in high malnutrition rates.
According to national figures the rate is as high as 43% for the entire Western
region. Health authorities in the region have indicated that anaemia, intestinal
worms and protein energy malnutrition are the common conditions among the
stunted and wasted children. Such conditions are common in the new districts of
Kibingo and Mitooma where a lot of bananas are grown.

5.2 Importance of Farm’s Strategic Location in Supporting Local

Area Development

The unique location of KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM gives the locals
of Rubirizi District a clear head start advantage as it is situated right in the neck of
one of the greatest tourist circuits in East Africa (i.e. Lake Edward – Kazinga Channel
– Lake George) Western Rift Valley lake system and the fabulous Queen Elizabeth
National Park and its fringe Game Reserves of Kyambura GR, Kigezi GR, and the
vast Maramagambo Forest.

Queen Elizabeth National Park boasts a diverse range of ecosystems, from open
savannah to plentiful rainforest, from dense papyrus swamps and brooding crater
lakes to the vastness of Lake Edward - it is little wonder that the park boasts one of
the highest biodiversity ratings of any game park in the world.
14
Almost 100 mammal species and a remarkable 606 bird species make this superb
safari territory that attracts thousands of tourists every year and is still growing in
leaps and bounds. As a result of this phenomenal increase in tourist flows to Queen
Elizabeth National Park, quite a number of tourist catering hotels and lodges have
sprung up within the park itself and others on its fringes – serving various local
dishes and cuisines to the tourists.

KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM regards the rise of such tourist-
catering facilities as an economic windfall for commercial farmers living in the
peripheral agricultural production areas that immediately border on the Queen
Elizabeth National Park – in the sense that they will be able to reap direct
commercial dividends and monetary gains from it. That KICHWAMBA POULTRY
& PIGGERY FARM is located in Rubirizi District therefore represents a significant
economic advantage to not only itself, but also to the farmers in the area who will
have been able to benefit directly from its commercial farming demo projects and
also receive technical back-up in form of training, production inputs supply, and
other forms of field extension services.

Secondly, the Rubirizi district farming community should be able to take advantage
of the excellent road network that links the district to the major urban centres of
Bushenyi, Mbarara, and most importantly Kampala – as they will be in position to
load and market their poultry and piggery farm outputs for supply to these major
agricultural product consumption markets in Uganda. The good road network in
place should also in principle create a significant economic “ripple effect” for the
farmers in Rubirizi District who will have gained something tangible from the
KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM to scale up the quality, volume of
output, and consistency of supply of their poultry and piggery products – like it has
already done for the Bushenyi banana farming community that have reaped
tremendously from the regular supply of bananas to the high-demand Kampala and
Mbarara markets.

15
6.0 POSITIVE OUTCOMES OF COMMERCIAL FARMING IN UGANDA

6.1 Rural Poverty in Uganda

Uganda has made enormous progress in reducing poverty, slashing the incidence of
poverty from 56 per cent of the population in 1992 to 31 per cent in 2005. In urban
areas the decrease has been even sharper, to 12 per cent. But poverty remains
firmly entrenched in the country’s rural areas, which are home to more than 85 per
cent of Ugandans. About 40 per cent of rural people – some 10 million men, women
and children – live in poverty.

The poorest Ugandans include millions of subsistence farmers who live in

remote, scattered locations throughout the country. Remoteness makes people
poor. It excludes them from participating in the benefits of the country’s steady
economic growth and dynamic modernization process. In remote rural areas
smallholder farmers do not have access to the vehicles and roads they need for
transporting produce to markets, and market linkages are weak or non-existent.
Farmers lack inputs and technologies to help them increase production and reduce
pests and disease. And they lack access to financial services that would enable
them to raise their incomes by improving and expanding their production and
establishing small enterprises.

Health and social issues weigh heavily on rural poverty in Uganda. The population of
about 30 million is growing at a rate of 3.2 per cent a year, doubling every 20 years.
Although the country has been successful in dramatically reducing the incidence of
HIV/AIDS, the pandemic has caused the death of large numbers of young adults,
leaving an estimated 1 million children without parents. Rural women are
particularly disadvantaged because of the lack of health care and other social
services. They work longer hours than men and have limited access to resources
and little control over what they produce. They bear the burdens of seeing that their
households are fed adequately and providing care for the sick, the elderly and
orphaned children.

6.2 Eradicating Rural Poverty in Uganda

16
The government looks to the agricultural sector to drive growth and contribute to
further reduction of rural poverty. Agriculture, which accounts for about 30 per cent
of the gross domestic product, has a potential for vibrant and diversified growth.
But agricultural development in Uganda faces several challenges. One of the major
challenges is improving access to markets. Because the country is land-locked,
international and regional exports and imports involve long overland hauls through
neighbouring countries to and from distant seaports. And poor internal road
linkages hinder domestic marketing. There is a need for improvement of transport
infrastructure, particularly rural access roads and the national road network.

The Government of Uganda addresses rural poverty through its Poverty Eradication
Action Plan (PEAP), a comprehensive national policy that guides development
planning. The policy’s objectives are to:
• support rapid economic growth and structural transformation
• foster good governance and security
• improve the ability of poor rural people to increase their incomes
• help rural people improve their living conditions

In 2001 as part of the broader plan to eradicate poverty, the government launched
the Plan for Modernization of Agriculture (PMA). The objective of the PMA is to
transform Uganda’s economy into a modern one, enabling all sectors to participate
actively in economic growth and transforming subsistence agriculture into
commercial agriculture. In support of the PEAP, the government has developed
further policy measures, including the Local Government Sector Investment Plan,
the Rural Financial Services Strategy and the recently introduced Prosperity for All
programme. The Local Government Sector Investment Plan provides a framework
for guiding investments at the local level towards such critical areas as the delivery
of services, good governance and local economic development. The Rural Financial
Services Strategy facilitates access to financial services in rural areas to encourage
savings and their use as a source of investment capital for rural enterprises. The
Prosperity for All programme is a national development effort that addresses a
range of activities.

Mission of the Plan for Modernization of Agriculture (PMA)

The mission of the PMA is "eradicating poverty by transforming subsistence

agriculture to commercial agriculture". Improving the welfare of poor subsistence
farmers will require that they re-orient their production towards the market. More of
their production must be marketed to enable them to earn higher incomes. In a
broad sense, to achieve the vision, it is essential to maintain prudent
macroeconomic and sectoral policies, undertake institutional reforms and
adjustments, and implement the identified priority interventions.

6.3 Farmer Categorization in Uganda

17
Uganda has three main categories of farmers: subsistence, semi-commercial,
and commercial. The subsistence farmers who produce predominantly for
household consumption are the majority. These are the farmers that Government
expenditure will target in order to transform the agricultural sector. Transforming
subsistence agriculture requires addressing the constraints of the subsistence
farmers. Consultations with poor farmers revealed two types of constraints:
productivity related constraints and those related to governance. Productivity
related constraints include: lack of sufficient food, lack of land and soil infertility,
lack of proximal water sources, lack of inputs, pests and diseases, lack of skills and
knowledge, lack of capital and access to credit, market problems (low prices, lack of
markets), poor roads and transport networks, lack of storage and processing,
insecurity where it exists, and loss of oxen due to insecurity in areas where they are
used.

6.4 IFAD’s Strategy in Uganda

For more than 25 years IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) has
been strongly committed to working with Uganda to reduce rural poverty. The
organization has contributed a total of US$193.5 million to finance 12 programmes
and projects with the objective of empowering poor people in the country’s rural
areas. IFAD provides financing and technical assistance for six ongoing programmes
and projects which are as follows:

• Vegetable Oil Development Project

• Area-Based Agricultural Modernization Programme
• National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS)
• Rural Financial Services Programme
• District Livelihoods Support Programme
• Community Agricultural Infrastructural Improvement Programme

Total number of IFAD

programmes and projects: 12
Total financing: US$454.9
million
Total financing from IFAD:
US$193.5 million
Directly benefiting:
2,442,150 households

As part of the donor effort to improve international development effectiveness, IFAD

has identified three key sectors as the focus of its investments in Uganda:
• improving agricultural technologies to help farmers move from
subsistence to market-oriented production in order to increase their
incomes and improve their living standards and food security.
• promoting the decentralization process to strengthen local levels of
government and improve rural infrastructure in order to promote rural
economic growth.

18
 • supporting rural financial services to encourage small-scale farmers to save
part of their earnings to invest in increasing productivity and in strategies for
coping with risk.

Area Based Agricultural Modernization Programme

This programme has had a significant impact on the modernization of agriculture in

south-west Uganda. Activities have led to an increase in agricultural productivity
and in farmers’ incomes, which are its main goals. The programme has contributed
to a change in farmers’ attitudes towards agriculture, helping them see it as a
source of income rather than simply as a source of food, and encouraging them to
invest in production.

The change in farmers’ attitudes and improvements in their incomes have led to an
increase in the demand for savings and credit. In turn this has led to strong growth
of Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs), which are local, member-
owned microfinance groups. The programme includes 32 SACCOs, with a total
membership that is well over the number that was the programme’s initial target.

The programme includes three main activities:

• agricultural commercialization, including market linkages and access to
rural financial services.
• rural infrastructure development such as access to water points and a
revolving fund through which participating farmers pass on seeds or seed
offspring to other farmers.
• community mobilization, including awareness-building among participants,
groups and communities.
Total cost: US$16.0 million
IFAD loan: US$13.2 million
Duration: 2002-2008
Geographical area: 10 districts in
southwest Uganda
Directly benefiting: 312,500
households
Improving agricultural technologies and marketing

Agriculture is one of the mainstays of Uganda’s economy. Under the umbrella of the
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and within the
framework of the PMA, the National Agricultural Advisory Services Programme
(NAADS) delivers agricultural advisory services to poor farmers. The aims of the
government’s agricultural strategy are to:
• move farmers from subsistence to commercial agricultural
production.
• increase productivity through adoption of appropriate techniques.
• promote creation of employment.

19
 • diversify production and reduce dependence on imports by promoting
competitive systems in processing, marketing, input supply and credit.

The objective is to achieve food self-sufficiency. Although traditional and non-

traditional agricultural products will continue to have an important place among
exports, sustainable growth will necessarily involve import substitution and export
diversification.

National Agricultural Advisory Services Programme (NAADS)

The programme was designed to fill the need for a demand-driven agricultural
advisory service for poor farmers. It introduced an innovative partnership that
involves the government, public institutions, civil society and the private sector in
providing a crucial service to producers. The programme provides a stepping stone
for farmers’ groups and associations that enables them to move into commercial
production and become part of the commodity value chain.

The goal is to make rural livelihoods more secure, and to achieve sustainable
improvements in agricultural productivity and household incomes. Activities focus
on providing advisory and information services, testing technology and developing
market linkages.

The programme has been successful in establishing an advisory service that works
on a national scale, and in mobilizing farmers’ groups and organizations. It has
involved technical teams, including established extension workers and local
governments, in planning and implementation. The programme has also effectively
decentralized implementation of its activities to the local government level.

Total cost: US$107.9 million

IFAD loan: US$17.5 million
Co-financing: World Bank
(US$24.0 million); UK Department for
International Development (DFID),
Danida, the Netherlands and European
Union (basket funding, US$68.8
million)
Duration: 2001-2008
Geographical area: nationwide
Directly benefiting: 533,000

20
7.0 EXECUTION OF ACTION PLAN: THE CURRENT SITUATION

7.1 Existing Farm Management and Manpower Structures

21
The poultry farming section is currently in operation with on-farm poultry stock
consisting of 4,000 layers and 2,000 broiler chicken which will grow exponentially in
numbers with time and as the farm facilities and structures are gradually expanded
to a full capacity projection of 10,000 layers and 4,000 broilers respectively.

KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM is now a steadily expanding and

growing agricultural business, as it is being capably managed and run by its
principal founder and promoter – Mr. Byakutaga Robert for the past four years
that it has been operational. As the farm’s vision bearer and driving force, Mr.
Byakutaga Robert is inter alia responsible for a string of routine day-to-day
management functions at the farm, which, just to mention but a few are highlighted
below:

• As KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM only has poultry on site, as

the head of this nascent but fast growing farming unit, Robert is deeply
engaged in routine poultry production and management schedules to ensure
the production is maintained as closely as possible to forecast scenarios and
existing market demand projections.

• Management of poultry stock breeding programmes, the buying and selling of

poultry inputs and selling of product outputs, machinery and farm materials,
and the hiring and supervision of farm staff.

• Purchase and supervision of preparation of poultry feedstuff, control of pests

and vermin at the farm, maintenance of farm buildings and infrastructure, as
well as the maintenance of financial and farming records.

• Develops comprehensive short- and long-term farm property management

strategies.

• Implementing general farm organizational planning and product marketing

strategies to ensure that KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM
maintains its steady growth character and market expansion for its product
outputs now and in the future.

Robert is able to cope well with all these functions as he possesses a wide array of
farming skills and farm-management attributes that range from – the practical
ability to repair and operate a range of equipment and tending to livestock needs to
the management skills or organizing resources, budgeting and marketing produce.
He also puts his good computing skills to good advantage to keep records/books of
account and manage farm operations such as breeding.

22
The current manpower structure of KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM
comprises of 6 employees that include: 1 Marketing Assistant; 1 Farm
Accountant; and 4 Farm Attendants. Robert pays these farm assistants/workers
a monthly salary and emoluments that are directly commensurate to their level of
qualifications, experience, productivity and attitude towards work in addition to
paying them a cost-of-living allowance that is adjusted/weighted to the cost of living
around Kichwamba town as some of them have to rent living quarters/premises off-
farm.

7.2 Existing Land, Buildings and Facilities

Land Availability

The land available for the implementation of this project at Kichwamba is 25

Hectares (62.5 Acres) in total and has a current market value of UShs. 80 million.
The existing land and structures on it will be a useful starting point for the
implementation of this project and are entirely the efforts and hard work of the
project promoter – Mr. Byakutaga Robert.

The available land space is thus adequate for both the maize farm (60 Acres) and
the poultry and piggery structures to complete the composition of the mixed farm
concept as envisaged by this project.

Existing Structures

The structures currently existing on the land at Kichwamba include poultry sheds
and pig housing structures which have been entirely constructed by Mr.
Byakutaga Robert using his own financial resources. The total market value of the
farm buildings and structures is approximately UShs. 47 million. This counts as a
significant equity contribution towards the total project cost of the mixed farm
enterprise.

Tables 4 and 5 below provides a breakdown of area (in square feet) and
corresponding value (in UShs.) of the existing farm structures at the KICHWAMBA
POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM.

Table 4: Space dimensions and financial value of existing farm structures

(poultry section)

Particulars Specifications Physical Unit Total Cost

Units Cost (UShs.)
(Sq. ft.) (UShs.
)
Management building 100 sq. ft. 100 sq. ft. 10,000 1,000,000
Store room 70 sq. ft. 70 sq. ft. 6,000 420,000
Shed space for layers 2 sq. ft./bird 20,000 sq. 600 12,000,000
ft.
Shed space for broilers 1 sq. ft./bird 4,000 sq. 600 2,400,000
ft.
23
TOTAL 24,170 15,820,00
sq. ft. 0

Table 5: Space dimensions and financial value of existing farm structures

piggery section)

Particulars Specifications Physical Unit Total Cost

Units Cost (UShs.)
(Sq. ft.) (UShs.
)
Store room 100 sq. ft. 100 sq. ft. 6,000 600,000
Farrowing pens (80) for 100 sq. ft./sow 8,000 sq. 1,000 8,000,000
lactating sows ft.
Boar cum service pens 70 sq. ft./boar 1,400 sq. 1,000 1,400,000
(20) ft.
Dry sow pens (120) 20 sq. ft./sow 12,000 sq. 1,000 12,000,000
ft.
Fattener shed – I (400) 10 sq. ft./ fattener 4,000 sq. 1,000 4,000,000
ft.
Fattener shed – II (400) 15 sq. ft./ fattener 6,000 sq. 1,000 6,000,000
ft.
TOTAL 31,500 32,000,00
sq. ft. 0

24
8.0 EXECUTION OF ACTION PLAN: FARM REQUIREMENTS

8.1 Objectives of Commercial Farming

The objectives of commercial farming in a general context can be summed up as

follows:

• To equip commercial farmers/producers with new and marketable production

know-how, and modern farm management techniques;
• Small and medium-size producers are proficient in better agricultural
production and marketing practices;
• Enhanced producer incomes from better production and marketing
techniques, and market plans and livestock production budgets; and
• Creation of new seasonal, part-time and full-time jobs.

• Improved homestead/family income and food security for the commercial

farmer.
25
 • Better land, soil, and environmental resource management techniques.

• Constant availability and supply of vital production inputs.

• Improved livestock and crop pest and disease management techniques.

• Better and quicker access to production capital and credit.

• Enhanced livestock/crop product market access and better product pricing

incentives for commercial farmers.

• Better post-harvest crop/livestock product storage and processing facilities.

8.2 Project Inputs

General Farm Inputs

• Land – 62.5 Acres

• Electric power connection

• Water connection and Water Supply System

• 10,000 litre capacity water tank

• Motorised Water Pump-Set (1 HP)

• Electric Generator Set

• 7-Ton Pick-up Truck

• Farm Labour

Inputs: Poultry Section

• Poultry Section Building Structures

• Brooders (28 units)

• Drum Heaters (4 units)

• Small Drinkers (120 units)

26
 • Large Drinkers (260 units)

• Feeders (480 units)

• Laying nests (100 units)

• Shifting Boxes (14 units)

• 6,000 Layer Day Old Chicks (DOCs)

• 2,000 Broiler Day Old Chicks (DOCs)

Inputs: Piggery Section

• Piggery Section Building Structures

• Feeders and Waterers

• Chain-link Fencing

• Controls & Sensors

• Feeding Troughs (100)

• 40 Pig Breeding Stock

8.3 Farm Project Process

8.3.1 Poultry Farm Management

Day Old Chicks

The chicks that are initially purchased by KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY
FARM for the purpose of setting up the farm are of uniform size, active, alert and
bright eyed. The shank or leg covering (skin) of healthy chicks appears bright and
shiny. These improved and high yielding chicks were purchased from reputed farms.

Brooding

Layers

Proper brooding temperature is required to keep the chicks in comfort during

rearing period when they are sensitive to cold and need some artificial heat source
to maintain their normal temperature. Charcoal or sawdust is burnt for supplying
heat at the stage of brooding in the poultry farm.

27
The Business Plan has taken a brooding expense at UShs. 100 per bird during the
rearing period.

Broilers

Proper brooding temperature is required to keep the chicks in comfort. Charcoal or

sawdust is burnt for supplying heat at the stage of brooding in the poultry farm.

In the first week, 95ºF is quite comfortable. For the first one week, it is also
essential to observe four to five times daily the condition (temperature) of the
chicks. They should neither huddle nor move away from the brooding hover, but
should be moving around evenly. As chicks grow, the temperature may be reduced
at a rate of 5ºF per week until approximately 70ºF is reached in the sixth week.

Feeding

Layers

The requirement of feed during lying depends on the rate of egg production and the
body weight of layer birds. The actual feed consumption may be influenced by
several factors as follows:

• Body weight of the bird.

• Rate of egg production.
• Season and weather condition.
• Health and physical condition of the bird.
• Feed quality such as protein contents, caloric value of feed, etc.

Generally the feed intake increases with an increase in egg production.

Broilers

Broilers are usually fed with the following two types of ration:

• Broiler starter: It is fed to the broiler birds up to five weeks of age.

• Broiler finisher: It is fed to the broiler of more than five weeks of age and
continued till the age of marketing.
Feeding three or four times each day will stimulate feed intake and prevents
wastage.

This starter and finisher feed will be obtained in prepared form, from the feed mills.

Housing

Layers

The poultry house has been designed and constructed so as to be well ventilated,
cheap, durable, comfortable and safe. Each bird has been provided a floor space of
about 1.5 to 2 sq. ft. The calculations in the Business Plan are based on an area of
1.75 sq. ft. per bird.
28
 Broilers

The broiler chicks shall be kept in a clean, dry and well-ventilated room. Broiler
house should have proper ventilation as this provides the birds fresh air and carries
off moisture. The entire building including litter and all equipment should be
fumigated.

Feeders

It is essential to provide adequate feeder space. Ideally, two pan type feeders are
sufficient for 50 birds. Therefore, for a total of 14,000 birds, 560 feeders are
enough.

Lighting

Layers

Light affects growth and reproduction of birds by different physiological actions.

The duration of the light period should not be decreased during laying period.

Adequate lighting boosts up egg production by 5 to 10 percent. Lighting encourages

the birds to eat more feed, more of which will lead to better growth and more eggs
production. Irregular lighting results in drop in egg production.

Broilers

Most broiler growers provide 24 hours light during brooding and early growing
period. Recent research conducted in windowless buildings, using intermittent
lighting of 1-2 hours period, has indicated significantly improved feed efficiency.
Initially, for first fifteen days, light intensity should be 40-60 watts per 200 sq. ft of
space and this can be replaced by 15 watts bulb in the beginning of third week. The
Business Plan has taken monthly electricity charges of UShs. 200,000.

Drinkers

Adequate drinking space should also be provided to the birds. It is necessary to

provide extra water during extremely hot weather. The drinker should contain fresh,
clean and cold water. Generally, one large drinker is sufficient for 50 birds. The
Business Plan has therefore taken 280 large drinkers and 140 small drinkers.

Litter

Litter is spread on the floor to prevent the direct contact with the floor. Straw,
coffee-husk and sawdust are generally used for making the litter. It should be dry
29
and free of moulds. Caked or moldy material should be removed and refilled with
fresh materials. Extensively wet and dusty litter should also not be used. Using new
litter for each flock is good for raising disease-free broilers and layers. Litter can
also be resold in the market.

Vaccination

Layers

Vaccination can be applied to chicks through injections. The medicine can also be
mixed in the water and also through eye drops. Vaccination is provided to the birds
once in the rearing period and once in the laying period. Average vaccination cost
per bird usually varies between UShs. 200-400. The Business Plan has taken
vaccination cost at UShs. 300 per bird.

Broilers

Average vaccination price per bird mostly varies between UShs. 200-500. The
Business Plan has taken cost of vaccination at UShs. 400 per bird.

Fumigation & Spraying

It is essential to check all equipment and walls of the broiler house carefully that
they are clean, and washed with disinfectant solution, and dried. The rooms should
be white washed and sprayed before the arrival of birds.

Disinfectant solution can be prepared with Phenol, Potassium Permanganate,

Carbolic Acid and Formaline. A solution of Sodium Hydroxide/Caustic Soda with
warm water can also be used to clean the house.

To sanitize the broiler and layer houses from germs and insects, they are fumigated
with Formaldehyde Gas, which is produced by putting Formaline on Potassium
Permanganate. The rooms are first vacated and then sealed for 30 minutes after
the fumigation so that the gas infiltrates in every corner of the room.

In the Business Plan report, the cost of fumigation has been taken as UShs. 200,000
per flock.

Culling

Layers

Culling is the procedure of selection and rejection of unproductive and poor

producers. Culling is a very important job for running layer farm profitably. Poor
layers should be culled to minimize the cost of production. The birds that have laid
well for short period but have stopped laying for one reason or another should be

30
culled out. Sales price varies in a range of UShs.3,500 to 5,000. In the Business Plan
the culled birds are sold at a rate of UShs. 4,000 per bird.

Rearing and Laying Schedule

Layers

The cycle of one flock of layer farm is divided into two distinct phases, the rearing
phase and the laying phase. During the rearing phase of 6 months, the birds
consume feed and are non-productive. After the rearing phase is over, the birds
start laying eggs and remain productive for the next 12 months. So, the revenues
and costs occur in the form of cycles. The schedule for this calculation for the first
ten years of operation of the farm is shown in Table 6.

Table 6: Schedule for Calculation of Revenues and Expenses (1 – 2 Years)

Yea Rearin Laying Frequency per year

r g Month Bird Birds Litte Litter Spra Vaccinatio
Month s s Purchase r Purchase y n cost
s Sale d Sale d Cost
1 6 6 0 1 1 2 2 2
2 5 6 1 1 2 2 2 2

8.3.2 Commercial Piggery Farm Management

Modern and well established scientific principles, practices and skills shall be used
by KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM to obtain maximum economic
benefits from its pig farming enterprise. Some of the major norms and
recommended practices are given hereunder:

I. Housing management:

1. Construct shed on dry and properly raised ground.

2. Avoid water-logging, marshy and heavy rainfall areas.
3. The side walls of the sheds should be 4-5 ft. high and remaining height
should be fitted with GI pipes or wooden poles.
4. The walls should be plastered to make them damp proof.
5. The roof should be at least 8-10 ft. high.
6. The pig stys should be well ventilated.
7. The floor should be pucca/hard, even, non-slippery, impervious, well sloped
(3 cm per metre) and properly drained to remain dry and clean.
8. A feed trough space of 6-12 inches per pig should be provided.
9. The corners of feed troughs, drains and walls should be rounded for easy
cleaning.
10.Provide adequate open space for each animal i.e. double the covered area
11.Provide proper shade and cool drinking water in summer.
12.Dispose of dung and urine properly.
31
 13.Individual pens for boars/lactating sows should be constructed.
14.The dry sows/fatteners can be housed in group pens.
15.Give adequate space for the animals.

II. Selection of breeding stock:

1. Immediately after release of the loan, purchase the stock from a reliable
breeder or from nearest livestock market.
2. For commercial pig farming upgraded / cross bred or exotic stock in good
health should be selected.
3. While selecting a gilt or sow primary aim should be to secure a female that
will produce large survivable litter and which can attain marketable weight at
an age of six months or less. This can be done with the help of pedigree
records/Veterinarian / Bank's technical officer.
4. Purchase animals which are ready to be bred.
5. Identify the newly purchased animal by giving suitable identification mark
(ear notching or tattooing).
6. Vaccinate the newly purchased animals against diseases.
7. Keep the newly purchased animal under observations for a period of about
two weeks and then mix with the other animals.
8. Purchase a minimum economical unit as suggested.
9. Purchase animals in two batches at the interval of three months.
10.Follow judicious culling and replacement of animals in a herd.
11.Cull the old animals after 10-12 farrowings.

III. Feeding management:

1. Feed the animals with best feeds.

2. Give adequate concentrates in the ration.
3. Provide adequate vitamins and minerals.
4. Provide adequate clean water.
5. Give adequate exercise to the animals.
6. The feeding of the piglets is more critical and high quality and more fortified
diets are needed for feeding them.
7. Feeding of the sows during pregnancy is utmost important for increased litter
size.
8. The feed requirements of lactating sow varies with the size of the litter,
weight, size and age of sow.
9. Commercial pig farming should aim at the exploitation of non-conventional
feed resources viz., waste from Kitchen/hotel/ cold storage/warehouses, in
replacing the balanced rations to minimise the cost of production.
10.The feeding regime adopted should take care of all the nutrient requirements
of various categories of pigs.

IV. Protection against Diseases:

1. Be on the alert for signs of illness such as reduced feed intake, fever,
abnormal discharge or unusual behaviour.
2. Consult the nearest veterinary aid centre for help if illness is suspected.
3. Protect the animals against common diseases.
4. In case of outbreak of contagious diseases, immediately segregate the sick
and the healthy animals and take necessary disease control measures.
5. De-worm the animals regularly.
32
 6. Examine the faeces of adult animals to detect eggs of internal parasites and
treat the animals with suitable drugs.
7. Wash the animals from time to time to promote sanitation.
8. Strictly follow the recommended vaccine schedule as prescribed by the
veterinary authorities.

V. Breeding care:

1. Pigs are highly prolific in nature and two farrowings in a year should be
planned by adopting optimal management conditions
2. For every 10 sows one boar must be maintained for maximum fertility.
3. Breed the animals when it is in peak heat period (i.e. 12 to 24 hours of heat).

VI. Care during Pregnancy:

Give special attention to pregnant sows one week before farrowing by providing
adequate space, feed, water etc. The sows as well as farrowing pens should be
disinfected 3-4 days before the expected date of farrowing and the sows should be
placed in the farrowing pen after bedding it properly.

VII. Care of Piglets:

1. Take care of new born piglets by providing guard rails.

2. Treat / disinfect the navel cord with tincture of iodine as soon as it is cut with
a sharp knife.
3. Feed on mothers milk for first 6-8 weeks along with creep feed.
4. Protect the piglets against extreme weather conditions, particularly during
the first two months.
5. Needle teeth should be clipped shortly after birth.
6. Vaccinate the piglets as per recommended vaccination schedule.
7. Supplementation of Iron to prevent piglet anaemia is necessary.
8. The piglets meant for sale as breeder stock must be reared properly.
9. Male piglets not selected for breeding should be castrated preferably at the
age of 3-4 weeks which will prevent the boar odour in the cooked meat thus it
enables production of quality meat.
10.Additional feed requirements of lactating sow must be ensured for proper
nursing of all the piglets born.
8.4 Expected Outputs/Results

8.4.1 Physical/Tangible Outputs

• Eggs

• Broiler Chicken

• Off-layer chicken

• 6 – 7 month old pigs

33
 8.4.2 Intangible Outputs

• Increased and sustained efficiency in farm-based livestock production

of at least 10% p.a.;

• Strong, efficient and reliable commercial livestock farmers/producers

of poultry and piggery products in Rubirizi District;

• Employment opportunities for youth in Rubirizi District created among

the various commercial farmers/producers;

• The market and popularity of poultry/piggery products accordingly

grown and expanded in Western Uganda;

• KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM becomes a sustainable

livestock farming unit with a strong farm-based income (cash flow) and
a high rate of return and profitability;

• The existing land and natural resources are utilized to the best
commercial advantage of the enterprise through the use of good farm
and environmental management practices for sustainable productivity
and growth of the farm;

• KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM becomes a nucleus

model mixed farming project that serves as a training/inspirational
nucleus for training and support of other up-coming commercial mixed
farmers in Rubirizi District;

• Organized farmers’ groups accessing and sustainably using improved

production and post-harvest technologies established;

• Capacity of farmers developed for production of good quality and

marketable volumes for marketing;

• Farmers’ organizational skills, market-oriented decision making, and

business management developed for organized marketing of poultry
and piggery products, and

• Sustainable cohesive partnership that ensures timely farmer access to

services as well as marketing of poultry/piggery products established.

8.5 Data Collection & Book Keeping

34
 8.5.1 Data Collection Methods

KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM keeps appropriate and relevant

inventory, cash books, ledgers, and journals that are used as a veritable source of
information and data on the periodical Farm Return. The periodical Farm Return is
organized in tabulated format with its entry headings described in Table 7 below:

35
Table 7: Description of the Farm Return

Heading Heading Description

Heading A Labour.
All labour, paid and unpaid (but excluding labour used on work under
contract), which has contributed to work on the farm during the
accounting year.
Heading B Number and value of livestock.
Opening and closing valuations (in number and value) and average
number of livestock.

Heading C Livestock purchases and sales.

The value of such transactions together with the value of any
farmhouse consumption of livestock.

Heading D Costs.
Value of all non-capital inputs used in the production of non-capital
products during the accounting year.
Heading E Land and buildings, dead-stock and circulating capital.
Includes production, replacement or major repair of any fixed assets by
the farm’s own resources valued on a cost basis.
Heading F Debts.
Opening and closing valuations of short-, medium- and long-term
loans.

Heading G Value Added Tax.

The VAT system applying and in certain cases VAT payments and
receipts.

Heading H Grants and Subsidies.

Defined as specific payments made directly to the farm business from
public funds, excluding those for investment in land, plant, machinery
and equipment.
Heading I Production (crops and animal products, livestock excluded).
The area, quantity and value of all crops, animal products and other
activities.

Heading J Details of purchases and sales of livestock.

36
 Purchases and sales per categories of livestock. The sub-totals of
purchases and sales per animal species (equines, cattle...) are
registered in Heading E.

8.5.2 Farm Book Keeping

As commercial farming takes shape and gains momentum in Uganda, it is becoming

more complex and capital intensive thus creating the need for detailed analysis to
make financial and production decisions using computer hardware and software
technology. It henceforth becomes imperative for KICHWAMBA POULTRY &
PIGGERY FARM to its stock of business tools (which it has already done).

Computerized Bookkeeping and Financial Analysis

The operator of any farm business needs to keep accurate, detailed records for such
purposes as applying for a bank loan, filing a tax return, and assessing the firm’s
financial condition. Computer software is also important for use in production
decision-making on the farm.

37
9.0 PROJECT OBJECTIVES

9.1 Farm Enterprise Objectives

The objectives of KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM for the first three
years of operation include:

1. To create a product-based agricultural enterprise whose goal is to exceed

customers' expectations.

38
 2. To utilize the existing land and natural resource base to the best commercial
advantage of the enterprise by using good farm and environmental
management practices for sustainable productivity and growth of the farm.
3. To increase the efficiency of our production by 10% a year.
4. To develop a sustainable farm, surviving off its own cash flow.
5. Tap the fast-growing market opportunities and increasing popularity for
poultry and piggery products in Western Uganda (especially the tourist circuit
market around Queen Elizabeth National Park and its related Safari Lodges,
Hotels and Rest Camps).
6. Generate strong farm-based income that will lead to fast growth of cash flow
and exponentially improve on the enterprise’s rate of return and profitability.
7. Utilize the existing land and natural resources to the best commercial
advantage of the enterprise by using good farm and environmental
management practices for sustainable productivity and growth of the farm.
8. Provide employment opportunities for locals within the area (Rubirizi District).
9. Make the farm a model mixed farming project that will grow to inspire other
up-and-coming farming enterprises (out-grower farmers) within the area
by serving as a self-sustaining demonstration unit for agricultural inspiration
and on-farm training.

9.2 Objectives of Public-Private Partnership between NAADS and

the Farm Enterprise (according to NAADS)

The establishment of relevant public/private sector partnerships is vital for the

development and promotion of various enterprises. These partnerships are needed
to provide the public sector push and the private sector pull to especially the small-
scale subsistence farmers, towards market orientation and commercialisation of
agricultural production.

Public/private sector partnerships allow for establishment of out-grower schemes

around nucleus production entities of agricultural commodities. Out-growers’
schemes, with farmers around nucleus farms or agro-processing facilities, and
essential services is one way of attaining production of sustainable volumes of
quality and sustainable quantities of product to exploit the market opportunity, and
for farmers to become effective players in the market.

Specific objectives are to:

1. Support the development of farmer institutions (groups and associations) for

organized marketing and for collective access to inputs and marketing
through:

• Farmer mobilization;

• Training of farmers in group dynamics;

39
 • Focal point for bulking and organized marketing of produce.

2. Develop farmer capacity for improved productivity and production of poultry,

fish, apiculture, horticultural and piggery enterprises;

3. Develop farmer capacity for improved post-harvest handling of poultry, fish,

apiculture, apiculture, horticultural and piggery products;

4. Improve the marketability of farmers’ produce through quality improvement

and management, increased volumes, and development of farmers holding
storage capacity.

40
10.0 PROJECT NEEDS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN

10.1 Project Requirements for Farm Expansion

10.1.1 Infrastructure Facilities

Poultry's farming needs to be handled tactically, right from the selection of the site
to the final stage when the birds are sold. That being the case, the selection of the
farm at Kichwamba was done in such a way to ensure that the transportation of
birds and feed can be always be easily handled.

The entrepreneur is still trying his level best to ensure that the following things are
available at the farm site before gearing up to full production parameters:

• Electricity connection
• Drinking quality water
• Road access
• Drainage of rain water

10.1.2 Farm Equipment (Poultry Section)

Various types of farm equipment are needed for feeding, drinking and handling the
birds. List of the required farm equipment required is given in Tables 8 & 9:

Layers

Table 8: Farm Equipment for Layers

Layer Farm Equipment Unit Unit Cost Total Cost

(UShs.) (UShs.)

41
Brooders 20 20,000 400,000

Drum Heaters 2 40,000 80,000

Drinkers (Small) 100 3,000 300,000

Drinkers (Large) 200 6,000 1,200,000

Feeders 400 4,000 1,600,000

Nests 100 2,000 200,000

Shifting Box 10 50,000 500,000

TOTAL 832 4,280,000

Broilers

Table 9: Farm Equipment for Broilers

Broiler Farm Equipment Unit Unit Cost Total Cost

(UShs.) (UShs.)

Brooders 8 20,000 160,000

Drum Heaters 2 40,000 80,000

Drinkers (Small) 20 3,000 60,000

Drinkers (Large) 60 6,000 360,000

Small Feeders 20 1,500 30,000

Large Feeders 60 4,000 240,000

Shifting Box1 4 50,000 200,000

TOTAL 174 1,130,000

10.1.3 Farm Equipment (Piggery Section)

The list of farm equipment (and its cost) required by KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY
FARM for its piggery section is detailed in Table 10 below:

Table 10: Farm Equipment for the Piggery Section

Piggery Farm Equipment Unit Unit Cost Total Cost

(UShs.) (UShs.)

Water Supply System

1
Used to shift Day Old Chicks
42
 Cost of installations and piping for # # 5,000,000
supply of potable water to the farm

Motorised Water PumpSet – 1 HP 1 1,500,000 1,500,000

Gen Set 1 4,000,000 4,000,000

10,000 litre capacity Water Tank 1 2,300,000 2,300,000

Chain-link Fencing - 10,000,000 10,000,000

Controls & Sensors - 2,000,000 2,000,000

Feeding Troughs 100 50,000 5,000,000

TOTAL 29,800,000

10.1.4 General Farm Requirements Summary

Table 11 below provides a general outline summary of the equipment, material,

and livestock breeding stock requirements of the KICHWAMBA POULTRY &
PIGGERY FARM. For the purpose of a more precise presentation, farm investment
input costs have been separated into existing and planned investments – such that
an objective comparison/assessment can be made of what has already been done
relative to what is expected to be undertaken at the farm to improve its
performance.

Table 11: Project Economics

Account Head Total Cost

(UShs.)
A. Existing Investment
Land 80,000,000
Farm Buildings & Structures 52,820,000
7,000 Layer Chicken Stock @ 5,000/= 35,000,000
2,000 Broiler Chicken Stock @ 5,000/= 10,000,000
Sub-Total 177,820,000
B. Planned Investment
Farm Machinery & Equipment 24,610,000
Installation of Water Supply System 8,800,000
10,000 litre capacity Water Tank 2,300,000
Electricity Gen Set 4,000,000
Installation of power 3,500,000
7-Ton Pick-up Truck 35,000,000
Purchase of 6,000 Layer DOCs (Day Old Chicks) @ 2,250/= 13,500,000
Purchase of 2,000 Broiler DOCs (Day Old Chicks) @ 2,600,000
1,300/=
Purchase of 40 Pig Breeding Stock 2,920,000
Sub-Total 97,230,000
Total Fixed Costs (A + B) 275,050,000
Raw material inventory 18,140,000
Total Working Capital 18,140,000
43
Total Project Investment Cost (UShs.) 293,190,000

10.2 Monitoring and Evaluation Requirements

10.2.1 Implement and Maintain an Effective Monitoring

and Evaluation System

1 Strategy: The M&E system is based on an impact design linking activities to

desired outcomes and impacts. The M&E system is intended to provide the
foundation for tracking the project’s delivery of expected outputs and quantitative
impacts to measure progress, as well as support KICHWAMBA POULTRY &
PIGGERY FARM’s M&E needs by providing input to NAADS and associated IR
indicators. KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM will continue to use a
distributed approach to M&E where all project team members and partners are
responsible for collecting M&E data in their technical areas. The M&E Specialist
will coordinate this effort and consolidate all data collected and generate aggregate
data for the M&E indicators. Close liaison will be maintained with the NAADS team.

1 Activities. During the work plan period, the M&E system will be maintained
and utilized to input project data. KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM will
prepare semi-annual M&E reports covering activities carried out during the previous
six months. Following on from this will be a series of activities geared towards
consolidating the project database and providing a repository of project
undertakings and achievements.

The M&E Specialist will maintain the already established working relationships
with data providers within the various sub-sectors with a view to regularly updating
industry-wide data.

One field data verification/impact study will be conducted following the first poultry
and piggery out-grower farmer outputs and marketing results in 2011. The focus
of the verification will be on economics of production and the resultant benefits of
technology adoption. If funds are available, one impact study shall be conducted
with the support of NAADS.

The M&E Specialist in consultation with the relevant NAADS project support team
personnel prepare 1 – 2 year cumulative periodical impact stories. These will be
regularly revisited and updated. Successes and lessons learned will be highlighted
and disseminated to the respected stakeholders.

1 Resources. KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM, NAADS staff, and

Rubirizi District agricultural production support staff.

10.2.2 Tools for Evaluation

44
Tools for evaluation will mainly be:

1. Baseline survey using family income and livelihood framework;

2. Monthly reports on poultry and piggery production in Rubirizi District;

3. Contract monitors (for those farmers who will specifically be getting their
support from KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM);

4. Out-grower farmer training and support checklists;

5. Use of multiple reference points;

6. Registry of out-grower farmers who are members/participants in the

KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM district-wide poultry and
piggery production drive/project;

7. Interview questionnaires for out-grower farmers, out-grower farmer

groups, community leaders, local council leaders and/or group interview
discussions with youth, women groups, and opinion leaders;

8. Control groups for comparison, or regional/national statistics;

9. Post training monitoring questionnaire for out-grower farmer trainers;

10. Out-grower farmer trainer checklists, and meetings within the district.

10.2.3 Monitoring and Evaluation Indicators

45
Clearly defined M&E tools like progress indicators, success indicators and impact
indicators to measure the effectiveness of interventions and outcomes will be set
out in a M&E Matrix and will address indicators like:-

1. Improved food security based on increased market linkage and trade from
rural agro-enterprises;
2. Improved socio-economics;
3. Improved public-private sector partnerships;
4. Increased competitiveness of rural agro-enterprises;
5. Improved market support services;
6. Improved rural enterprise activity;
7. Improved market linkage.
10.2.4 M & E and Feedback

1. Monitoring outputs and evaluating outcomes;

2. Increasing focus on outcomes rather than outputs including qualitative

indicators as well as quantitative ones;

3. Work towards a single system of reporting based on existing systems and

not defined by supporting agency/donor only;

4. Beneficiary out-grower farmers need to be part of a learning process,

hence the need for a Pilot Monitoring and Evaluation system (PM & E).
People set standards/indicators, transparent systems, mentor a PM & E –
discard it if it is not working;

5. Need for continuity in M & E and must be integrated into the

implementation process.

6. Need for feedback systems to the beneficiary out-grower farmers;

7. Evaluation by the beneficiary out-grower farmers is currently invited to

consultation – how can we stimulate our processes/self evaluation? Need
for a structured review;

46
8. Need to budget for and resource M & E as part of a learning process.

47
11.0 COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS

Table 12: Cost Benefit Analysis

Poultry and Piggery Annual

Production Costs (UShs.) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Purchase of Layers/Broilers 53,700,000 53,700,000 53,700,000
Purchase of Sows/Boars 10,920,000 0 0
Feeds (Broilers + Layers) 194,241,000 187,741,000 187,741,000
Feeds (Piggery) 30,140,798 65,553,736 65,553,736
Brooding Expenses (Poultry) 3,400,000 3,400,000 3,400,000
Admin. Overheads 4,117,500 5,025,000 5,025,000
Salaries & Wages (Mgmt) 56,400,000 56,400,000 56,400,000
Labour (Production Staff) 19,200,000 19,200,000 19,200,000
Vaccination Cost + Drugs 19,633,500 31,338,000 31,338,000
Spray Cost 2,800,000 2,800,000 2,800,000
Litter Cost 400,000 400,000 400,000
Utilities (Electricity + Water) 22,003,200 38,649,600 38,649,600
Transport 36,000,000 36,000,000 36,000,000
Packaging Materials 31,500,000 45,000,000 45,000,000
Supplies 3,126,000 8,328,000 8,328,000
Sales & Marketing Expenses 11,889,000 19,692,000 19,692,000
Miscellaneous 18,089,000 26,892,000 26,892,000
Insurance (6%) 3,877,200 3,222,000 3,222,000
Depreciation of Assets 8,362,004 8,362,004 8,362,004
TOTAL PRODUCTION COSTS
(UShs.) 529,799,202 611,703,340 611,703,340
Poultry and Piggery Annual
Sales Revenues (UShs.)
48
Poultry Product Sales (UShs.) 541,000,000 565,000,000 565,000,000
Piggery Sales (UShs.) 33,600,000 326,400,000 326,400,000
Manure Sales (UShs.) 6,066,000 11,928,000 11,928,000
TOTAL SALES (UShs.) 580,666,000 903,328,000 903,328,000
Gross Margin 50,866,798 291,624,660 291,624,660
Mark up 9.60% 47.67% 47.67%

12.0 FARMER BENEFITS

By functioning as a nucleus poultry and piggery production demo farm to catalyse

and stimulate the increased production of poultry and piggery in Rubirizi District,
KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM expects to generate quite a number of
benefits and outcomes for the out-grower framer community within the area. The
success of the enterprise hinges on its public-private partnership with NAADS so as
to able to resource, input and render the necessary facilitative support to make this
market-oriented production outcome possible.

A key consideration in the successful pursuance of the sustainable development

and promotion of agricultural production for improved farm household incomes
includes the integration of production through agro-processing (value addition) to
marketing. Many public and private sector institutions and firms are involved in all
these processes. The establishment of relevant public/private sector partnerships is
therefore vital for the development and promotion of various enterprises. These
partnerships are needed to provide the public sector push and the private sector
pull to especially the small-scale subsistence farmers, towards market orientation
and commercialization of agricultural production.

49
 Public/private sector partnerships allow for establishment of out-grower schemes
around nucleus production entities of agricultural commodities. This
development reinforces farmer input/product market access and investment capital
inflows. Out-growers’ schemes, with farmers around nucleus farms or agro-
processing facilities, and essential services is one way of attaining production of
quality and sustainable quantities of product to exploit the market opportunity, and
for farmers to become effective players in the market.

The major outputs/benefits expected to flow out of such a partnership include:-

i. Linkage to markets and infrastructure:

The constituent out-grower farmers will be able to readily access inputs
including poultry and piggery production technologies as well as the output
market within the framework of an enabling associated infrastructure.
ii. Establishment of quality standards:
The out-grower farmers will be trained and enabled to adhere to the
obtaining quality standards for Uganda’s products such that they can
successful exploit the national, regional and international markets that
demand such quality standard prerequisites as a criterion for successful
market penetration.
iii. Capacity building:
The KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM will effectively build the
productive capacity of the out-grower farmers in Rubirizi District – and in this
way, be able to address the constraints to production, processing and
marketing of agricultural produce.
iv. Technology development and sharing:
The KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM will in partnering with
NAADS identify and avail modern/improved technology that is required for
improved production and efficiency to the selected out-grower farmers such
that they can use to vastly improve their poultry and piggery production
enterprises in terms of both quality and quantity – and in the process earn
better incomes that will significantly improve their livelihoods.
v. Provision of inputs:
The KICHWAMBA POULTRY & PIGGERY FARM/NAADS public-private
partnership will facilitate the out-grower farmers with specific production
inputs (e.g. breeding stock, equipment and specific tools, veterinary drugs,
etc.), which farmers cannot easily access due to the required prohibitive
capital investment. The beneficiary out-grower farmers can then be able to
up their poultry and piggery production using such inputs to upgrade to
commercial production and meet market demands and expectations. The
partnership will also enable farmers to access credit and/or leasing facilities
in various forms for such inputs.

50
51