Milk production declines in Teso as floods submerge farms

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Milk production in several parts of Teso has been affected by the ongoing rains and flooding.

The worst-hit are the districts of Kapelebyong, Serere and Katakwi where gardens are submerged and pasture surrounded by pools of water. Several animals have reportedly died and others too weak to produce enough milk.

Jennifer Auma, the chairperson of Soroti Milk Collecting Centre says they have been collecting more than 800 litres of milk every day from farmers across Teso. But the production has reduced drastically since rains increased in the region and for the last three months, she says they have received less than 600 litres of milk per day.

Lawrence Oluka, the Chairman of Amuria Farmers United Cooperative Society says that their livestock is at stake with the increasing rains. He said that places where flooding has been experienced, animals have died and the cooperative is now unable to supply enough milk to meet the demand on the market.

The government injected 400 million Shillings for the construction of three milk collecting centres in Serere, Kaberamaido and Ngora districts in 2012 following research that the three were the leading milk producers in the region.

However, State Minister for Animal Industry Bright Rwamirama said that despite the shortcomings, farmers in Teso need to embrace dairy farming. Rwamirama said that government plans to revive milk collection centres in Kumi, Amuria and Ngora districts which had failed to operate due to low milk production.

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