Pig production in Uganda is growing, with the pig population increasing significantly over the past 30 years, but the sector remains underdeveloped and informal, lacking organization and processing capabilities. Smallholder pig farmers face challenges including limited access to financial services, fair pricing, and government support, while partnerships with various stakeholders aim to enhance the value chain and improve livelihoods. The goal is to transform subsistence-level pig farming into a more competitive business through better productivity, market access, and waste management practices.

1. Smallholder Pig Value Chains Development in
Uganda
Danilo Pezo, Emily Ouma, Michel Dione, and Brian Kawuma
Meeting of the CRP 3.7 SPAC and PPMC
Kampala, 7th December 2014

3. Background
• Pig production in Uganda on the rise
– Pig population risen from 0.19 to 3.2 m in the
last 30 years
– Uganda has the highest per capita pork
consumption in East Africa
• 1.1 m households produce pigs as backyard
activity
• Gender disaggregation of task – women and
children manage pigs, while men market
them
• Contributes to livelihoods and income to
meet emergency needs and school fees

4. Challenges for the SPVCD in Uganda
• The pig sector is underdeveloped, and dominated by informality and
lack of organization in the different nodes.
• Processing is limited, and value addition almost non-existent.
• Pigs are not a priority for the government (not considered in the
Agricultural Sector Development Strategy & Investment Plan, and the
National Development Plan).
• Research on pig production, health, food safety & marketing is very
limited.
• Few development agencies have piggery in the agenda (NAADS,
VEDCO, BRAC, few local governments).
• Smallholder pig farmers struggle to get fair prices, and all VC actors
have limited access to financial and technical assistance services.
• Inappropriate handling of waste, contributes to pollution and
associated social conflicts, and gives rise to health risks & diseases.

5. Partnerships
• Public sector: MAAIF, NAADS, local governments
of Kamuli, Masaka, Mukono, Hoima & Lira, KCCA.
• Research/education institutions: NARO / NaLIRRI,
Makerere University (COVAB, CAES, CNS), SLU,
Iowa State Univ.
• NGOs: VEDCO, SNV, Veterinaries Without Borders.
• Private sector: BRAC, PPM, Agro-Empowerment
Center, UPO, Union of Pig Coops of Greater
Masaka, Wambizzi Coop., Greenfields Uganda
Ltd., OrgaFarms (promotes IMO system).

6. Projects contributing to the Uganda SPVCD
• Catalysing emerging smallholder pig VCs (ILRI / IFAD-EU)
• Safe Food Fair Food (ILRI - GIZ / A4HN CRP)
• Epidemiology of African Swine Fever (ILRI-BeCA-CSIRO /
AusAID)
• Assessing the impact of ASF in smallholder pig systems and
feasibility for potential interventions (SLU–ILRI / SIDA)
• More pork by and for the poor: Catalyzing emerging pig VCs
for food security & poverty reduction (ILRI / IrishAid)
• mPig: Mobile SMS learning for pigs – An innovative
information sharing platform for smallholder pig value chain
actors (ILRI /GIZ)
• Ebola & other emerging infectious diseases at the wildlife-
pig interface (ILRI / A4HN CRP)

7. Goal
 To improve livelihoods, incomes and assets of smallholder pig
producers -particularly women- and other VC actors, in a
sustainable manner, through increased productivity, reduced
risk, and improved market access in pig value chains

8. Project Approach
• A Value Chain Approach to transform subsistence level pig
keeping into a more competitive business offering superior
and safe pork to consumers. It will help to reduce poverty
and enhance food security for poor households, while
preserving community natural resources.

9. Target
• Smallholder pig production and marketing systems.
• Specific activities to address gender disparities in access to
resources, markets and technologies, and their effects on
livestock production.
• Some opportunities and
constraints are site
specific.
• Best-bet technological
and institutional options
designed to respond to
those conditions.

10. Objectives
• To develop and pilot test a set of integrated packages for
improving productivity in a sustainable manner in smallholder
farms, as well as organisational marketing mechanisms and
waste management practices to strengthen the pig value chain
through enhanced pork safety and better access to inputs,
services and output markets.
• To identify market opportunities for pork in Uganda, and the
multiple factors preventing smallholder pig producers from
exploiting those opportunities.
• •

11. Objectives
• To develop, test and evaluate best-bet options to increase
utilisation of edible pig parts and increase consumer
awareness about the benefits of consumption of animal
source foods.
• To document, communicate and promote appropriate
evidence-based models for the development of sustainable
pro-poor pig value chains in Uganda

12. Activities carried out
• Stakeholder Consultation
• Situational Analysis of the Pig Sector in Uganda
• GIS Study on Targeting Smallholder Pig Value Chains in
Uganda
• Participatory Outcome Mapping and Site Selection
• Value Chain Assessment (VCA)
• Benchmarking surveys

13. Activities carried out
• Animal health and food safety assessments in pig VCs
• Analyses of successes and failures on the implementation of
innovations in pig VCs
• Preliminary identification of potential best-bet interventions
(BBIs) – stakeholder workshops and EXTRAPOLATE
• Characterisation of local feed resources
• Evaluation of diets based on the use of local feed resources
for growing pigs
• Prediction of live weight using body measurements in pigs

14. Activities carried out
• Role of forages in pig production systems
• Development of training modules
• Assessment of knowledge, practices and perception of pig VC actors
and stakeholders and recommendations for ASF biosecurity protocols
• Study on the demand, availability, actual access to and control over
adequate food (including animal source foods) by household members
• Waste management at the pig farm and slaughter nodes
• Feasibility assessments of pig business hubs and a model pig abattoir
• Establishment of Multi-stakeholders Pig Platforms

15. Few examples of activities
carried out for the
transformation of smallholder
pig value chains in Uganda

16. Animal Health
Rapid value chain assessment (FGDs with farmers and keys
informant interviews)
- African swine fever the most important production disease
(endemic, high mortality, and frequent outbreaks, especially
during the dry season).
- Worms and ectoparasites (lice, mange, jiggers, flies and ticks)
are also endemic and lead to economic losses (lower LWG, and
reduced market prices).
- Low efficacy of drugs, especially dewormers and antibiotics.
Farmers attribute it to poor quality (“fake”) drugs.
- Poor biosecurity measures along the value chain a major
constraint for controlling ASF outbreaks.
- Lack of knowledge on best management practices and
biosecurity measures pointed out by farmers.
- Poor regulation and enforcement on disease control and drug
quality.

17. Cross sectional surveys and laboratory investigations for
diseases and zoonoses (in collaboration with SFFF)
- Samples collected: blood, serum, fecal and ecto-parasites from 1300
animals, including 90 village boars in three districts (Masaka, Mukono
and Kamuli)
- 1300 farms surveyed to analyze risk factors associated with main
diseases and zoonoses affecting pigs in Uganda.
Worms prevalence using microscopy (%) Serology (%)
Strongylus
spp.
Ascaris
spp.
Metastrongylus
spp.
Strongyloides
ransoni
Trichuris suis
Coccidia
oocysts
Brucella ASF Cysticercosis
55 6 8 4 4 39 <1 <1
0 - 55
(average: 13)
Microscopy Serology
Tryps Swine erysipelas Toxoplasma Trichinella
<1%
(apparently high prevalence,
but data not available yet)
detected
(data not available yet)
detected
(data not available yet)
On-going analysis with FLI (Germany) and ILRI/BeCA
 Classical swine fever
 Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)
 Circovirus type 2 (PCV2)
 Foot and mouth disease (FMD)
 Aujetzkty disease (SHV1)
 Metagenomics

18. Feeding
Rapid Value Chain assessment and Benchmarking Surveys
• Feeding 60-75% of total variable costs.
• Crop residues, forages and kitchen leftovers
represent 70-75% of the diet along the year.
Grasses and weeds replace crop residues
during crop growing periods and dry season.
• Sweet potato vines the most preferred fodder
for pigs, regardless of VC domain; the 2nd most
preferred cassava leaves in rural, while yam
leaves in peri-urban VCs.
• Feed collection and feeding mainly done by
women and children, however men and hired
labor participate more in peri-urban farms.
• Main constraints as identified by farmers:
fodder shortages in the dry season, high cost
of commercial feeds, price fluctuations of feed
ingredients and poor quality of purchased
feeds.

19. Seasonal Availability and Quality of Pigs Feeds
(part of a Univ. of Guelph PhD Dissertation)
• 211 samples representing 52 locally available
feeds, collected in Masaka and Mukono.
– Fruits (leaves, fruits, peels)
– Vegetable and root crops residues (fodder, non-
marketable tubers)
– Forages (grasses, legumes, weeds, foliage of
fodder trees)
– Agricultural by-products (i.e., brewers’ waste,
maize bran, cottonseed meal)
– Concentrates (commercial, home-mixed)
– Others (i.e. kitchen leftovers, chicken manure)
Findings
• Limited availability of feeds in the dry season.
• Farmers need to purchase feeds for strategic
supplementation of on-farm produced feeds.
• High variability in quality of feeds (i.e., 37-58%
CP in silverfish meal; 10-16% CP in
concentrates).

20. LWG (g day-1) in local and crossbred pigs fed on
concentrates, SP silage- and fresh local feeds-based diets 1
(part of a Univ. of Guelph PhD Dissertation)
a Pigs weighing > ±20 kg at beginning of the trial
1 Results have been shared with female and male farmers in Masaka, to assess
acceptability of these technology innovations.
Diet Crossbred pigs a Local pigs a
Commercial concentrate 660 ± 105 530 ± 93
Local feeds formulated 310 ± 92 210 ± 72
Sweet potato silage 470 ± 92 390 ± 64

21. Forages in Smallholder Pig Systems
(component led by a CIAT scientist)
• Forages (grasses, legumes, “weeds”) are
important components in smallholder pig
feeding systems, but have not been studied by
the few researchers working on pigs in Uganda.
• Forage interventions will play a more prominent
role in farms with higher land availability (mostly
in rural settings), but always in multiple cropping
with food crops.
• 120 pig farmers have started planting improved
forage legumes (Cannavalia brasiliensis, Clitoria
ternatea, Lablab purpureus) and the Brachiaria
“Mulato” hybrid.

22. Training Modules for Facilitators of Learning
Processes in Pig Value Chains
(in collaboration with ILRI Cap Dev)
• Training modules cover key constraints identified in
the VCA: Animal health & management, Biosecurity,
Village boars’ management, Strategic use of local
feed resources, Business planning and financial
management, and Improved access to markets.
• Local experts developed the modules with support of
ILRI team (technical, instructional design, etc.).
• Training of trainers on how to deliver innovative
interventions to service providers, farmers and other
actors.
• Testing of training modules with facilitators and
partners.
• Development of learning materials and radio
programs for farmers & other actors (potential
collaboration with INSEAD).

23. Role of pork and animal source food in household
diets
• Consumer surveys adapted from
A4NH toolkit covering 600
households in 4 districts (Sept-
Nov 2014).
– demand for pork and animal
source foods
– intra-household dietary survey
for children, men and women
– nutritional related interventions
at household and community
levels

24. Poor waste management at the pig slaughter node
• Slaughter at the urban pig slaughterhouse (Wambizzi Coop.)
– Bulk waste (blood, pig feces) not disposed systematically, could
lead to public health risks, direct exposure of workers to waste.
– Blood and GIT contents disposed into public water bodies -
environmental and public health problems.
– Poor pork handling practices.

25. Intervention on waste management (A4NH/L&F)
• Site: Wambizzi Coop. Slaughterhouse (Kampala).
• Intervention: A biogas digester system for sustainable use of
abattoir waste, to reduce risk of pork contamination and meet
energy needs.
• Research question: How will a biogas system reduce cross
transmission of pathogens and public health risks?
• Impact on pork safety monitored using biological indicators –
burden of a defined set of pathogens (Salmonella, E. coli,
Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Ascaris). With additional funding
from SFFF project – A4NH, in partnership with Makerere
University/COVAB).

26. Value chain performance issues
• Production node: expensive & poor quality veterinary products,
poor quality feeds and services, lack of lucrative markets – low
prices.
• Input suppliers (commercial feeds): adulterated/sub-standard
raw materials, lack of knowledge on feed formulation.
• Pig traders: high transactions costs (transactions ), bad debts,
lack of capital, etc.
• Intervention: Business models for improving efficiency and
effectiveness of value chain linkages - improve access to inputs
and services - to improve productivity and income.
• Pig business hub models.

27. Feasibility assessment of pig business hubs and a
model pig abattoir
• Identified constructs for piloting pig business hub models with
emphasis on improving access to inputs and services include:
(i) hubs revolving around check-offs for inputs and services;
Pig Collection
Centre
(pig inspection)
Kabonera-Kyanamukaaka
pig farmer cooperative
BDS
Check-off
arrangement
(MoU)
Pig traders /group
(local within Masaka or
outside)
Live pigs
Pig
traders
Pig farmers
Direct
Coop
funds

28. (ii) Hubs revolving around slaughterhouse in Masaka Municipality
(centralised slaughtering)
Feasibility assessment of pig business hubs
and a model pig abattoir
Slaughter slab
in Municipality
Pig Union – greater Masaka
Pig union own
slaughterhouse/or
lease to traders
BDS
- Transport
Live pigs/
pork
Pig traders /group
(local within Masaka or
outside)
Households
Pork
Pig collection
Centres-coops
Live pigs
Check-off
arrangement
Processors
e.g., Fresh
Cuts
Cooperatives
Live pigs Pork

29. MSP Processes in Uganda
• An initiative resulting from the Impact Pathway Workshop
(June 2013).
• ILRI partnered with SNV to catalyze the establishment of the
MSPs.
• Three regional (Greater Masaka, Central, Eastern) and one
national already operating since August 2014. Two more
(Western and Northern region) will start in 2015.

30. Pig producers
Pig & pork
tradersConsumers
Input
suppliers
Transporters
Interconnectedness of the VC nodes

31. Aspirations by Region
Affordable high quality
feeds
Pig farmers association
Standard centralized
abattoir
Affordable credit facilities
Pig industry recognized
High quality pig stock
A pig information system in
place
Promotion of utilization of
pig by products
Effective disease control
mechanism
Greater
Masaka
Specialized pig- related
Extension Services
Controlled spread of ASF
Centralized slaughter
facilities
Certified breeding centres
Collective marketing of pig
products
Value addition on pig
products
Farmer–based pig support
centres
Documented and
specialized actors within
the value chain
Functional MSPs
Central
Quality Certified pig feeds
Genetic Resource Centre to
ensure Quality
At least 200 Commercial Pig
Farmers organized in the
Region
Organized marketing of pigs
and pig products
Effective disease control
mechanism
Eastern

32. Prioritized constraints
Genetic decline of pigs
Water for production
Unfair prices
Central
Eastern
Greater Masaka
Poor quality feeds
Diseases

33. Milestones
19/08/2014 – Inaugural regional MSP held in Kamuli. Two
regional MSPs held in Masaka and Mukono later that month.
2/09/2014 – First national MSP held in Kampala
– 9 person Interim Steering Committee appointed
– ToRs included lobbying MAAIF on Feeds Policy and finding
solutions to the top three priority constraints
5/11/2014 – Second set of regional MSP meetings began
20/11/2014 – Second National MSP meeting held

34. Way forward
• Regional steering committees to coordinate MSPs as
part of the sustainability plan
• Organisation into Associations of Farmers and Value
Chain Actors
• Collective production planning, marketing and policy
engagement
• Periodic newsletter for news updates and knowledge
sharing across regions

36. CGIAR is a global partnership that unites organizations engaged in research for a food secure future. The CGIAR
Research Program on Livestock and Fish aims to increase the productivity of small-scale livestock and fish systems
in sustainable ways, making meat, milk and fish more available and affordable across the developing world.
CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish
livestockfish.cgiar.org