Issue1:Article8

Issue1:Article1

Protection of the Ankole Long Horn Cattle of Uganda

Elizabeth Katushabe, Pastoral and Environmental Network in the Horn of Africa (PENHA) Uganda, Elizabethkatushabe@yahoo.com , penhauganda@hotmail.com

I am a female adult, born and brought up among the Ankole Long Horn Cattle (ALHC) keeping Bahima community of Uganda. I am a member of the Ankole Cow Conservation Association (ACCA), which is campaigning for ways to ensure that this great indigenous breed does not become extinct. I own 50 pure Ankole Long Horn Cattle which I graze on family land in Kijumba, Ngoma Sub-County in Nakaseke district of the central part of the Cattle corridor of Uganda.

With the use of the LIFE method, I supported some Ankole Long Horn cattle herders of Nyabushozi County, Kiruhura District to document the Ankole Long Horn breed.

What I hold in high esteem;

1.Indigenous breeds and animal welfare

2.Environment, rangeland protection and biodiversity

3.Poverty alleviation and pastoralism as a system of production

4.Economic empowerment, especially of women

5.Education and indigenous knowledge

By; Elizabeth Katushabe for Pastoral and Environmental Network in the Horn of Africa (PENHA) Uganda (January to June 2015)

INTRODUCTION

PENHA (Pastoral and Environmental Network in the Horn of Africa), supported by LPP (League for Pastoral Peoples and Endogenous Livestock Development), with funding from the Erbacher Foundation, undertook the following project:

“Conservation of indigenous Ankole Long Horn Cattle for insurance, sustainable livelihood, poverty reduction, culture and food security in Nakaseke and Nakasongola districts in Uganda” The overall goal of the project was: To promote and protect the Ankole Long Horn cattle by empowering the breeders and keepers of the breed to protect it themselves. The project duration was from January to June 2015.

During the implementation of the project, PENHA Uganda carried out the following activities; there was development of promotional materials, i.e.3000 flyers and 1000 badges. These were for making all stakeholders aware of the values of Ankole cattle. Since February 2015, 500 flyers and 150 badges have been disseminated to several stakeholders and mainly herders.

There were pre-visits, which aimed at collaborating with government institutions and departments such as the National Animal Genetic Resource Centre farm located in Njeru from where we accessed research data on qualities of Ankole Long Horn cattle. We visited sub-counties of Ngoma and Wabinyonyi in the districts of Nakaseke and Nakasongola, respectively. Here, we met sub-county leaders and district officers such as the National Agriculture Advisory Services co-ordinators, the sub-county chiefs and the elected local leaders. The local people referred us to herders who still own relatively big herds of pure Ankole Long Horn cattle whom we visited and found out why they still rear the indigenous breed.

We held a consultative meeting in Ngoma, Nakaseke district aimed at educating and raising awareness of stakeholders about the importance and value of the Ankole indigenous breed for the livelihood of the herders and for biodiversity. Herders were also informed about the importance of bio-cultural community protocols. The meeting brought together leaders from sub-counties, key individuals and opinion leaders in the communities.

Skits, local radio stations, UBC Buruli FM and Kitara FM were used to explain and promote the values and importance of the indigenous breeds (Ankole cattle and others) – for e.g., in conservation of biodiversity, resilience in harsh environment and climate change, sustainable livelihood and food security. These were broadcast for 30 days on each radio station (23 March – 22 April and 15 April-15 May 2015 on UBC Bululi FM and Kitara FM respectively).

ACTIVITIES

pre-visit to governmen institution and private initiatives
National Animal Genitic Resource Center NAGRIC and Data Bank

The Animal Genetic Resource Centre is a government institution established to conserve valuable animal genetics. It has a data bank in Entebbe and several government ranches and stock farms. Nshaara ranch is specifically used for selecting and conserving the Ankole Long Horn breed.

Njeru stock farm in Nyenga, Kayunga district: The farm was established in 1969 as a dairy unit for multiplication of livestock. There are both indigenous (Ankole) and exotic cows, a piggery, 130 acres of maize kept in silo bank (130 tons of animal feed). There are exotic breeds of cattle such as Friesian, Siwarls and Ayrshire. Artificial insemination is used to obtain the best genes and it takes 7 years to determine the best genes. Ankole Long Horns on the farm use bulls for mating. Nshara Farm in the south western part of Uganda was established purely for conservation of Ankole Long Horns.