DR DANIEL KIWANUKA SEMAMBO SAYS, INDIAN SUPER CHICKEN TO LIFT UGANDAN FARMERS OUT OF POVERTY

It is great listening to Dr Daniel Semambo (PhD), the director National Animal Genetic Resources Center and Data Bank (NAGRC & DB)on radio more so CBS 88.8FM very early shortly after 7.00am on Sunday talking about what his department has on offer to the people of Uganda. Thank you so much Doctor. William Kituuka Kiwanuka ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A chicken that has the capacity to lay up to 150 eggs per year could be the next wonder for farmers in Uganda, thanks to an initiative by India. The scientifically engineered Kuroiler is a mix of a cockerel and broiler chicken. The bird is a colored and thrives on scavenging and has a high meat weight and egg producing capability. Dr. Daniel Kiwanuka Semambo, the director National Animal Genetic Resources Center and Data Bank (NAGRC & DB), says the chicken can lay up to 150 eggs in a year compared to the local chicken in Uganda. He says the chicken also grows faster than the local one. Dr. Semambo says the project will be implemented in phases. The team from India together with NAGRC will study the sustainability of the project in 8 months. 500million shillings will be the cost of implementing the second phase of the poultry project. According to Semambo the poultry will be distributed to farmers. Dr. Semambo says the hatcheries are ready to receive the eggs. According to Dr. Paul Nampala, the Executive Secretary Uganda National Academy of Sciences, genetically bred animals are safer than naturally bred ones. He says genetic breeding involves a much thorough process of checking as opposed to natural breeding where nature takes it course under no supervision. Dr. Nampala however warns that the Kuroiler bird may face challenges of not being readily accepted by farmers in Uganda. Weather patterns are also important to consider during the trials in the country. Kuroiler is a custom bred chicken for small-scale farmers. The birds do not need special feeding according to Semambo. Kuroiler was introduced in India in 1993 by a private company and sold more than a million one-day old chicks in the first year alone. By 2005-06 the number reached 14 million. The project in India was an innovation by Nimrod Kapur who tinkered around with imported stock from the US to create high yield birds through a process called genetic breeding. UGANDA TO IMPORT EGGS By J. Namutebi and A. Kiingi UGANDA is to import eggs and parent stock from India, for breeding purposes through the Kuroiler Chicken project.The director of the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank, Dr. Daniel Semambo, said the Kuroiler chicken is more productive than local breeds. He, together with agriculture minister Hope Mwesigye, were appearing before the parliamentary committee on agriculture over the budget for next financial year. Semambo said a male Kuroiler can grow up to 3.5kg in 10 weeks, while indigenous breeds take a year. Semambo said in the first phase, 2,000 eggs would be imported to produce day old chicks. This would be purchased alongside indigenous chicks for comparison. He said the first part is to evaluate performance of the Kuroiler chicken in Uganda. This would be done between June and February next year. The second phase will be to produce parent stock that would be used to produce day old chicks to sell to farmers.