To enhance livestock systems across the country, the Director Generals of the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 13 August 2024.
This agreement aims to establish a long-term partnership to promote livestock development through collaborative research, institutional strengthening, and capacity-building initiatives. These efforts will help further the missions of both institutions.
The livestock sector is a cornerstone of Uganda’s economy, food security, and rural livelihoods. It contributes approximately 7.5% to the country’s GDP and plays a vital role in agricultural production, with more than 70% of households engaged in some form of livestock farming.
Livestock provides essential products such as meat, milk, eggs, hides, and manure, which are crucial for meeting the nutritional needs of the population and supplying raw materials to agro-based industries.
NARO, a government agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, is dedicated to developing and promoting agricultural technologies and innovations that drive commercialization and industrialization, leading to agricultural transformation.
ILRI, part of CGIAR—the world’s largest publicly-funded agrifood systems research network—focuses on improving lives in the Global South through livestock science.
Their work aims to create equitable and resilient livestock systems that contribute to transforming food systems while delivering climate and environmental benefits.
Dr. Yona Baguma, Director General of NARO, emphasized the significance of the partnership, stating, “With 72.8% of Ugandan households involved in livestock farming, our collaboration with ILRI, a global leader in livestock research, will enable us to develop and promote technologies and innovations that will expand and commercialize the livestock sector in Uganda.”
Dr. Appolinaire Djikeng, Director General of ILRI, highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the two organizations, saying, “Over the past 12 years, we’ve partnered with various stakeholders in Uganda to reduce poverty through research aimed at the efficient, safe, and sustainable use of livestock. This renewed collaboration with NARO will build on our past research while exploring new avenues driven by the needs of the Ugandan government and other stakeholders in the livestock sector.”
The partnership will focus on several key areas, including:
- Animal Nutrition Research: Enhancing the quality and availability of feed.
- Animal and Human Health Research: Focusing on One Health initiatives, including antimicrobial resistance, vaccines, immunization, disease diagnostic tools, food safety, and zoonotic diseases.
- Animal Genetics and Breeding Technologies: Improving livestock breeds for better productivity.
- Sustainable Livestock Systems: Developing technologies and approaches that optimize the economic, social, and environmental roles of livestock.
In addition, the institutions will collaborate on capacity-building and staff exchange programs designed to boost technical expertise, as well as joint research proposal development aimed at securing funding for collaborative projects.
The National Livestock Resources Research Institute, a semi-autonomous public agricultural research institute under NARO, will represent NARO in this MoU.
This new five-year agreement replaces the existing MoU between the two institutions, dated June 29, 2016, and will automatically renew for similar periods unless terminated under the provisions of the MoU.
While this MoU does not involve any immediate financial commitments, both parties will seek funding sources to support the objectives outlined in the agreement.
