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Farm Africa welcomes first crossbred goat twins in Namalu

05 February 2020

Farm Africa welcomes first crossbred goat twins in Namalu

Farm Africa is excited to welcome crossbred twin baby goats from our project Livestock for Livelihoods. The offspring were born from a local goat from Namalu in Nakapiripirit District in Karamoja, Uganda, which was cross-bred with a high-yielding dairy Toggenburg goat.

Although local goats are very well suited to the arid climate of the region, they produce little in the way of milk, a needed rich source of protein and nutrients. The new crossbred goats should produce more milk, which will allow local families to have a more nutritious diet.

Lucy Opua is the proud owner of the twins. Once her goats have their own kids she will pass on the offspring to another woman in her community as part of the project’s revolving goat scheme. This creates a cycle of improved prosperity. Anna Angolere is in charge of a goat breeding station and a member of the Nakipenet Women Livestock Group. Members of this group are able to bring their female goats to be crossbred with the Toggenburg buck.

Anna with her buck

The project empowers women by teaching them how to add value to their livestock business and increase of the production of goats’ milk products. Anna took charge of the station after she received training in goat breeding. She receives a small fee for her hard work, which she has agreed with the women in her community.

Food and water shortages are common, particularly during the dry season, and malnutrition is widespread among women and children. Most families eat a very limited diet of cereal grains and wild leaves, sometimes other vegetables. Meat consumption is very rare. Through a blend of targeted communication activities, this project will provide women with information about the nutritional value of milk, along with cooking and home garden demonstrations, which will enable them to make the most of the healthy benefits of goats’ milk, especially for their children.

Farm Africa is carrying out this work in partnership with the Africa Innovations Institute, an agriculture and food systems research institute, and the Mothers and Children Multisectoral Development Organization, an NGO that works to improve the lives of disadvantaged mothers and children. This project is funded with UK aid from the UK government.

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