Veterinarians launch training and exhibitions for livestock farmers

MASAKA-Veterinarians under the umbrella of Uganda Veterinary Association [UVA] have launched a series of regional training and exhibitions for livestock farmers.

The President of UVA Central Chapter, Dr. Ismail Asiimwe while commissioning the activities in Masaka City said, previously UVA used to hold their annual events such as farmer’s days, general meetings, and symposiums in Kampala without reaching out to the farmers.

He said they did so because they had not initiated regional chapters from which national leadership is drawn and now, he said, this has changed as they started including the farmers in the planning of such events.

”This year, we have moved into a new trend of having regional leadership, and year after year we shall be celebrating our annual events regionally to move closer to farmers,” he said.

He said this year they started with the central region in Masaka where training and exhibition of livestock value chain were held.

He said over 5,000 livestock farmers were trained and more than 1000 head of cattle vaccinated against foot and mouth disease, among others.

He said they are targeting members of the livestock enterprise groups of dairy, beef, goats, piggery, rabbit and poultry established under the government’s Parish Development Programme [PDM].

He said veterinary doctors are giving back to Ugandans and supporting the government in its development efforts to fight animal diseases and help Ugandans benefit from livestock farming.

”As Uganda Veterinary Association, we have started with livestock farmers who are going to invest under the PDM.  We are preparing them and equipping them with knowledge such that by the time they invest the PDM money, they are already oriented on the risks involved in livestock management” he said.

According to its website, UVA boasts of a big membership of more than 1,200 veterinarians distributed throughout the country with some of them holding key decision-making positions in government and other institutions.

Owning Veterinary Wealth SACCO Limited, UVA is among the biggest and well-organised professional associations in the country with a fully-fledged secretariat and five operational regional branches.

https://thecooperator.news/sheema-district-veterinary-officer-calls-for-animal-compensation-policy/

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