Improved goat breeds transform livestock farming in Yumbe
The idea of establishing a goat farm emerged after members of the VSLA agreed to venture into commercial livestock production
YUMBE, July 13, 2026 — For years, Fatuma Ijodri, 55, depended almost entirely on crop farming to support her family in Kulacha village, Komgbe Parish, Kululu Subcounty in Yumbe district, West Nile Subregion.
Like many smallholder farmers in the region, Ijodri cultivated rice, cassava, maize and groundnuts. However, changing weather patterns, declining soil fertility and unreliable rainfall gradually reduced her yields, making it increasingly difficult to secure a stable income.
By 2021, she realised that crop farming alone could no longer sustain her household.
Searching for an alternative livelihood, she joined a Village Savings and Loan Association [VSLA], where members pooled savings and accessed small loans. The initiative became a turning point, introducing her to commercial goat farming.
Today, Ijodri is among the pioneers behind Yai Mixed Farm Limited, a farmer-owned enterprise emerging as a model for improved goat breeding in Yumbe district.
“We realised that depending only on crops was becoming risky. Goats offered us another opportunity to earn income while continuing with crop production,” she says.
Building a community-owned livestock enterprise
The idea of establishing a goat farm emerged after members of the VSLA agreed to venture into commercial livestock production.
Initially comprising 30 members, the group resolved to establish a communal farm where they would rear goats using improved management practices.
Ijodri contributed five local goats as her share of the enterprise. Over time, membership reduced to eight active farmers [five men and three women], including one South Sudanese refugee, reflecting the integrated livelihood approaches promoted in refugee-hosting communities.
The farm started with only 20 indigenous goats.
Four years later, the herd has grown to approximately 150 animals, comprising local goats alongside improved Savannah and Boer breeds.
The transformation has been driven not only by farmers’ commitment but also by growing awareness of the commercial potential of improved livestock genetics.
A recent visit to Genesis Agro Tourism and Resort Farm in Mukono district exposed members to high-value goat breeds that mature faster and attain larger body sizes compared to local breeds.
“Seeing those goats completely changed my thinking,” Ijodri recalls.
“They grow quickly and reach market weight much earlier than our local goats. We believe we can also achieve that if we continue improving our breeds.”
A diversified farming model
Yai Mixed Farm has grown beyond a goat-rearing project into a broader integrated agricultural enterprise.
The farm occupies nearly 1,000 acres of land, part of which is allocated to block farming by humanitarian agencies supporting refugee livelihoods.
The remaining land supports a mixed farming system combining livestock and crop production.
Besides goats, the enterprise keeps cattle, sheep and poultry while also producing rice.
Farmers say this diversified approach reduces the risks associated with depending on a single agricultural activity.
Income from poultry, for example, provides quicker returns that help finance the longer investment cycle required in goat production.
Introducing improved genetics
The biggest boost to the enterprise came through the Climate Smart Jobs project, implemented by Palladium.
The initiative supports livestock farmers in Yumbe, Madi-Okollo and Pakwach districts by introducing improved goat breeding through systematic cross-breeding programmes.
The project provides farmer groups with improved Boer bucks, constructs modern goat shelters and trains farmers in improved husbandry practices.
Each participating group received two Boer breeding males in April this year.
The objective is for each buck to mate with at least 50 local female goats, gradually improving the genetic quality of herds over successive generations.
Livestock experts estimate that within about five years, farmers could establish herds dominated by improved Boer genetics.
Bigger animals, better returns
For Zainab Chandiru, 80, another member of Yai Mixed Farm, the arrival of Boer goats represents a major economic opportunity.
Local goats currently fetch up to Shs 200,000 in the market, depending on their size and condition.
Improved Boer goats, however, are expected to command prices exceeding Shs300,000 because of their larger body weight and better meat quality.
“The improved breeds will significantly increase our income,” Chandiru says.
“We expect buyers to pay much higher prices because these goats are bigger and more attractive.”
Higher returns are particularly important for households seeking to diversify incomes amid increasingly unpredictable crop production.
Livestock also serves as a financial reserve that families can sell during emergencies, including school fees, medical expenses or periods of poor harvests.
Water remains the biggest challenge
Despite the optimism, farmers continue to face one major obstacle — inadequate water supply.
Yai Mixed Farm currently depends on a stream located nearly two kilometres away.
Members walk long distances to fetch water for both domestic use and livestock.
Beyond the labour involved, farmers are concerned about the reliability and safety of the water source, especially during prolonged dry seasons.
With rainfall becoming increasingly unpredictable, they say investment in water infrastructure has become essential.
They hope government and development partners can support the farm through borehole drilling or extension of piped water systems to improve animal welfare and support small-scale irrigation.
Without reliable water supplies, farmers fear that progress made through improved breeding could be undermined.
Expanding the breeding programme
Yai Mixed Farm is among six farmer enterprises in Yumbe that have benefited from improved breeding bucks.
Others include Omucha Farm Enterprise, Dezo, Alibamviti Mixed Farm, Salamu Joined Farm and Lodenga Farm, all located within Kululu Subcounty, which hosts parts of Zone Three of the Bidibidi Refugee Settlement.
The programme also extends beyond Yumbe to Panyimur Farm in Pakwach District and Jingili Farm in Madi-Okollo District.
At Omucha Farm Enterprise, programme officer Taban Yasir says the group’s experience demonstrates how quickly organised livestock farming can grow.
The enterprise started with only five goats in 2024.
Within one year, the herd had expanded to 20 animals before increasing further to 56 goats before receiving improved Boer breeding males.
The group is now exploring mechanisms that would allow neighbouring farmers to access breeding services.
“We are developing guidelines so that even farmers outside our group can improve their local goats,” Yasir explains.
“We are considering a system where farmers either pay cash or provide a goat in exchange for breeding services.”
Such arrangements could accelerate the spread of improved genetics throughout surrounding communities.
Refugees and host communities benefiting together
The initiative reflects Uganda’s refugee response model, which promotes joint economic development for refugees and host communities.
Under the 70:30 approach, approximately 70 per cent of beneficiaries are refugees, while 30 per cent come from host communities.
The inclusive model enables both groups to access livelihood opportunities, reducing competition over resources while strengthening social cohesion.
The participation of refugee farmers in livestock enterprises has also encouraged knowledge sharing and improved collaboration between neighbouring communities.
Overcoming misinformation
According to Faruk Buran, a Community-Based Facilitator under Climate Smart Jobs, establishing the farmer enterprises was not without challenges.
Many groups were already engaged in crop farming and traditional goat rearing before receiving project support.
Climate Smart Jobs helped them formalise their operations through registration with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau and local Community Development Offices.
Each enterprise reportedly received support worth nearly Shs 12 million.
However, misinformation initially threatened the programme’s progress.
Some community members believed the project was intended to take over land, while others politicised the intervention.
As rumours spread, several members withdrew from farmer groups.
“The original target was 15 members per group,” Buran explains.
“But misinformation caused some farmers to leave. Now many are returning after seeing the progress made by those who remained.”
Improving Yumbe’s livestock sector
The breeding initiative aligns with Yumbe District’s broader livestock development strategy aimed at transforming subsistence farming into commercial production.
Goats remain one of the district’s most important livestock species because they require relatively low investment, adapt well to local conditions and provide quick income.
Beyond their economic value, goats continue to play important cultural roles, including bride price payments, traditional ceremonies and family celebrations.
The district is therefore promoting genetic improvement while preserving the resilience of indigenous breeds.
Combining local resilience with improved productivity
According to Amaku Mansur, Assistant Animal Husbandry Officer attached to Midigo Town Council, the district is promoting cross-breeding rather than replacing indigenous goats altogether.
Local goats possess valuable characteristics, including disease resistance and adaptation to harsh climatic conditions.
However, they grow slowly and attain relatively low market weights.
Improved Boer and Savannah breeds mature faster, produce more meat and command higher market prices.
“Our objective is to combine the strengths of both breeds,” Mansur explains.
“We want goats that retain the hardiness of local animals but grow much faster and produce higher returns.”
Under the community breeding programme, improved male goats have been distributed across sub-counties to gradually improve genetic quality through controlled breeding.
Development partners are also supporting complementary interventions.
For example, Samaritan’s Purse has established pasture gardens in Kochi and Ariwa sub-counties to ensure livestock have adequate feed during the dry season.
A growing market for goat farming
Demand for goats continues to expand across Uganda and neighbouring countries.
Farmers in Yumbe regularly sell goats to traders supplying markets in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and several Ugandan regions, including West Nile, Acholi and Bunyoro.
To support future planning, Yumbe district has begun profiling livestock farmers to establish accurate records on goat numbers and breed composition.
Reliable data will guide breeding programmes, disease control and future investment priorities.
National trends point to growing opportunities.
According to the 2021 National Livestock Census, Uganda’s goat population increased from 12.4 million in 2008 to about 17.4 million in 2021, representing a 39.2 per cent growth.
Indigenous goats still account for 97.2 per cent of the national herd, while exotic and crossbreeds make up only 2.8 per cent, highlighting the significant potential for genetic improvement.
West Nile remains one of Uganda’s leading goat-producing regions, with nearly two million goats and more than 354,000 households engaged in goat keeping.
Within the region, Yumbe ranks among districts with substantial goat populations, making investments in improved breeding particularly important.
Towards a modern livestock economy
For farmers like Fatuma Ijodri, improved goat breeding represents far more than introducing larger animals into village herds.
It signals a gradual shift from subsistence farming towards commercial agriculture capable of generating reliable household income despite increasing climate uncertainty.
As improved genetics spread across communities, farmers anticipate higher productivity, better market prices and stronger resilience against weather-related shocks.
Although challenges such as water shortages, misinformation and limited infrastructure remain, early results demonstrate the potential of combining organised farmer groups, improved livestock genetics and inclusive development programmes.
If sustained, the initiative could help position Yumbe as one of Uganda’s leading centres for commercial goat production while improving incomes for both refugee and host community households.
Additional reporting by Robert Mone Ojok
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