To own a dairy cow in Uganda is to have a sense of belonging. Much like dairying here in the U.S., it’s simply in your blood.
But in Uganda it’s mostly Ankole longhorns and colored breeds that graze the beautiful valleys where volcanic soils create an ideal environment for growth. 14.5 million cattle dwell across a geography only a little larger than that of Wisconsin, which in comparison, is home to one million dairy cows.
The dairy industry in Uganda has been steadily growing over the last two decades: annual milk production increased from 667.5 million liters to 3.72 billion between 2008 and 2021. The government is counting on continued growth, targeting 20 billion liters by 2030.
Dr. Hamid Rutaro, who is now the Africa Market Development and Technical Manager for URUS, comes from humble roots on a 50-cow dairy in Uganda. He explains the potential for the continued dairy growth in Uganda is attributed to the growing population and neighboring markets driving demand.
Rutaro developed both an appreciation for dairy cattle and a desire to elevate dairy’s impact in Uganda at a young age. His grandmother gave him a cow for performing well in high school, which he says inspired him to seek more knowledge and awareness. “I wanted to see my neighbors and other farmers in the community – and the country at large – utilize better farming practices than my grandparents did, because there is so much potential in the industry’s future,” he says.
Pursuing his dream, Rutaro completed veterinary school at Makerere University in Uganda, then traveled to the U.S. to continue learning, for what he thought would be one year. But after completing the dairy science program at Cal Poly, he went to work on a Wisconsin dairy. He then took on various positions with AgSource and Genex and completed a master’s degree at Kansas State University before moving back home to Uganda in 2020, 16 years later.
Rutaro attributes much of Uganda’s dairy growth to awareness, continuous education and training made possible by a collaboration between URUS and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, through the Africa Dairy Genetics Multiplication Program in East Africa.
“We operate in several countries across Africa, but in Uganda alone we have trained more than 20,000 farmers on better farming methods, trained over 200 artificial insemination technicians and equipped them with a good supply of genetic material,” Rutaro says. “We now have proud farmers with first lactation cows producing 30 liters (65 lbs) per day, compared to 5 liters from local, unimproved breeds. This has motivated farmers to believe that increased productivity and profitability is possible.”
The Ugandan Minister of State for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Rwamirama Bright K. PhD reinforced the belief in an even more productive future with a trip to the U.S. in 2023. Rutaro played an integral role in bringing him to the U.S. to find ways to improve the productivity of the animals.
“The main reason for the trip was looking for solutions to the challenges faced in the industry in Uganda, especially the tropical diseases, the breeds of cattle, pasture-based feeding, and the mindset of the farmer,” Rutaro says.
The Minister’s trip included visits to Wisconsin dairy farms and various URUS facilities and meetings with key industry stakeholders. At the center of it all was an opportunity to see the world’s best dairy products, services, genetics, research, and people all in one place: World Dairy Expo.
“For farmers in Uganda, seeing is believing,” Rutaro says. “In the U.S., farmers will simply look at a catalog, understand the data and know what they want. But in Uganda – and Africa in general – they will be more likely to believe after seeing the actual performance from a neighbor or someone that has successfully done it in their environment.”
Rutaro is optimistic that the minister will be able to influence policy to support breed improvement and other technologies after seeing the technology in the U.S. “With this experience of dairy advancements in the western world firsthand, his words and recommendations will have even greater weight back in Uganda,” he says. “He already knew of some technologies from farms working with URUS, but seeing it all cemented his thinking in terms of strategy.”
One key takeaway for the Minister was seeing the difference that sexed semen was making on a Wisconsin dairy. “It isn’t new technology, but he’s seeing how it’s being strategically incorporated, and that will make him look at it in a different aspect given the government’s aim of 20 billion liters annually by 2030,” Rutaro explains.
Other actionable insights came from World Dairy Expo’s trade show, where the Minister identified applications for heat detection patches, pregnancy test kits and various methods for record keeping on farms. “He came back and tasked his team to prioritize sexed semen and other technologies,” Rutaro says, adding that the government is also working on improving the labs at the breeding center.
Rutaro believes it’s possible to achieve the mandated increase in production. “The cow numbers are there. It’s just a matter of focusing, selecting the right ones and improving them with the better breeds, and improving the pastures to get to what the target is,” he says.
“Uganda has the power and speed, especially in terms of dairy,” Rutaro says. “The future is bright as the population is growing. If we continue in the right steps with the things we’re doing, the dairy sector has a great future in Uganda.”
