In a project dubbed ‘PigBoost’, scientists from the University of Edinburgh, Makerere University and two other private firms are reportedly planning to spend UGX 1.9B on generating accurate data about pig population.
The brains behind this project have further revealed that the idea was aimed at monitoring diseases and planning for pig farmers in the central region. The project will be executed in four districts, Kampala inclusive.
According to Prof Clovice Kankya, the head of the department of biosecurity, ecosystems and veterinary public health at Makerere University, the project will improve pig production in the country. Apparently, pigs will be fitted with electronic and visual identification tags with real-time information about their health.
It is estimated that 40,000 pigs will be added to the project by June next year in the four central districts of Kampala, Mpigi, Mukono and Wakiso. Issues like low average production and poor animal health that have challenged the central region for a long time are yet to be solved.
Experts have revealed that shortage of pork, in-breeding, will as well be sorted.
