Dairy cattle crossbreeding as development path for smallholders? A case study at farm level in south-western Uganda

Abstract

In Uganda local and improved western dairy breeds have been crossbred for over 50 years. Introduced as development tool, like in many other tropical regions, the aim was performance improvement of local dairy cattle herds to benefit farmers and the dairy sector as a whole. Although the uptake of this breeding strategy has been slow it can be a powerful tool for breed improvement. Research has so far not yielded information how farmers succeed with crossbreeding at farm level. This study aims at filling this knowledge gap with data collected in two sites in the Kiruhura and Bushenyi districts, Uganda. Therefore a total number of 65 farmers have been interviewed. Results show that in the prevailing setting crossbreeding is a path for development. Income increase expected by farmers was realised. Education and investment potential support introduction of crossbreeding. Strong linkages in the community enable farmers to access breeding stock, information and solutions for challenges and make partly up for the missing links to breeding services and extension. Crossbreeding is adapted at farm level in various ways, mainly to increase performance. Deceptive information on performance development indicating missing important links to breeding services and extension might be a threat to sustainable success with the crossbreeding strategy. We conclude that crossbreeding can support development of dairy farms. But it requires high inputs of investment, labour and natural resources which questions its sustainability in the light of future ecological and socio-economic changes.