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Agriculture Ministry warns of livestock shortage under PDM due to budget cuts

Agriculture Ministry warns of livestock shortage

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries has raised concerns over potential challenges in providing high-performing livestock breeds to farmers under the Parish Development Model (PDM) program due to significant budget cuts in the upcoming financial year.

This was revealed in the Ministry’s policy statement for the 2025/26 financial year budget, presented to the Parliamentary Agriculture Committee.

Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Bright Rwamirama, and the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Maj. Gen. David Kasura Kyomukama, informed the committee that the Ministry faces a budget reduction of 55.7 billion shillings.

The cut will severely impact efforts to supply quality livestock breeds to farmers under the PDM program. While the Ministry had requested 62 billion shillings for livestock procurement, only 6.2 billion shillings has been allocated.

Maj. Gen. Kyomukama stressed that to ensure the availability of quality livestock breeds, the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank must oversee the breeding process.

By Francis Lubega

25th Mar, 2025

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