The World Dairy Expo is truly a world-wide event—demonstrated as dairy industry representatives from Uganda attended the event. Hamid Rutaro of Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture tells SFN about the dairy industry in his country.

“So, the dairy industry in Uganda, it is actually on a steep growing curve. And the reason I say that is when you look at it in terms of productivity, we have so many cows, about 16 million cows. however, the productivity is still very, very low, about five liters per cow per day. And the use of AI is on the lower side, right around five percent AI usage on those cows. And as a country, because there’s increasing demand with the increasing population, the President himself has given a directive to increase the production by five times fold.” 

Reaching that goal will take a big-picture look at all aspects of the industry.

“We know very well is going to take not only genetics, but nutrition and better management, and those are still lacking, but we’re working with them, we’re working with dairy cooperatives to make sure they are able to bring them farmers together milk together, again to harness what’s the farmers can have.” 

And there are challenges, such as cattle diseases.

“Yes, those are a major, major issue. The big ones are tick borne diseases, but those are being addressed. So that’s one of the major issues that we’ll have to harmonize.” 

He adds education is the key to success.

“And that’s what we’re doing, we’re training farmers. To have the AI techniques to make sure that they are more aware, and also the government that’s why the Secretary is here, to make sure he enhances the policy decisions, to look at other things, whether that is vaccinations, but tick borne diseases are the major issue in our country.”