Nortura and Norges Vel Partners have completed a 5-day monitoring visit in Uganda from 3rd to 7th September, 2018. The team comprised of Mr. Rolf Fjeldheim – Nortura representative, Mr. Asgeir Svendsen – Nortura Advisor and Ms. Helene Lie – Senior Advisor/Project Leader Norges Vel.
The project, “Sustainable Livestock Business Development Project in Uganda” is being implemented with Uganda Meat Producers Cooperative Union Ltd. (UMPCU) and Uganda Farmers Meat Company Ltd. (UFMC). The Project which ends in 2019, focuses on cattle production and trade is implemented in collaboration with Nortura. It aims at improving farmers’ income through better production and productivity of animals.
While here, the Partners interacted with the Board of Directors and Staff of both organisations. They also visited and had discussions with a number of stakeholders and potential partners in the business. Those visited include the Uganda Meat Industries, Design without Borders, Laboremus, Fresh Cuts, The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Kampala and officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, together with the Technical Advisory team of the European Union.
The team, accompanied by the Chief Executive Officers of UMPCU and UFMC; Dr. Joshua Waiswa and Dr. Francis Jumba, climaxed their trip by visiting Biharwe Meat Cooperative Society in Mbarara and a farm visit. The fully registered society has grown from a membership of 30 in 2008 to 60 currently and engages in other income generating activities like selling salt. The coop was one of the beneficiaries of the UMPCU financial facility with which they managed to buy 20 bulls; now being fattened for sale. One of their challenges though was the Foot and Mouth epidemic which has affected many farmers in the cattle corridor; rendering them unable to transport their cattle to other districts.
The visit was successful and the project said to be on course.