Prime
Climate change to hurt pig rearing- Scientists warn
What you need to know:
- Pigs are more vulnerable to heat stress because they do not have functioning sweat glands.
- Heat stress distorts feed intake, growth and reproduction and makes pigs vulnerable to diseases.
Farmers rearing pigs have asked government to expedite specific climate change adaptation measures for the sector to thrive.
This comes after a study on reducing climate-induced heat stress in pigs in Uganda revealed that pigs are the most vulnerable livestock to heat and that the industry will be left in ruins if no immediate action is taken.
“Analysis of historical climate data and simulation of future periods predicts a gradual shift towards more severe heat conditions experienced in most parts of the country.
Pigs are more vulnerable to heat stress because they do not have functioning sweat glands. Heat stress distorts feed intake, growth and reproduction and makes pigs vulnerable to diseases.
This in turn brings economic losses, to remain sustainable, adaptation of these systems should be a priority,” the report by Biodiversity International and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture states.
The study is part of the research programme on livestock by the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centres (CIARG).
It adds that heat stress risks are more prevalent in the north-western parts of the country with nearly half the year experiencing severe heat conditions.
“Based on model projections, severe heat stress conditions will be dominant all throughout the country with more than 90 per cent of the districts experiencing severe heat conditions by 2100, more than 800,000 pigs a are likely to be affected if no action is taken.”
The study adds that smallholder farmers will be grossly affected.
Appeal
During the dissemination of a policy brief on Friday, the farmers called on the government to update development policies to include the impacts and have resources allocated to fast track innovations towards a resilient value chain.
Mr Richard Semwanga, the chairperson of the Young Farmers Federation, said the economic viability of piggery would offer youth a source of livelihood but has been neglected by the government.
Mr Semwanga said he has so far lost sows worth Shs3 million due to heat stress this year.
“When you serve an animal during too much heat, the rate of conceiving is low. The heat also affects the rate of growth because the animal does not feed well and diseases like fever are also prominent in the hot seasons,” he said.
He added: “What is crucial is water for production. Pigs need a lot of water to cool off, and this raises the cost of production. We need the ministry to step in.” The study underscores the need for farm level adaptation measures like planting trees as well as multisector cooperation
Dr Juliet Sentumbwe, the commissioner for livestock at the Ministry of Agriculture, said specific interventions have been included in the ministry’s strategic plan which will operationalise the targets of the Third National Development Plan
Dr Deogratious Wonekha, a senior veterinary officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, said they have started registration of pig farmers at the parish level to ease the access to extension services.
Dr Wonekha said although there are interventions in place, the ministry is underfunded which hampers implementation.
“We are already beginning to see the effects. Farmers are losing out, the cost of production is very high and the whole value chain is going to be hit. Small holder farmers cannot even afford the adoptive measures,” Dr Wonekha said.
