Animal and fisheries sector is one of the Uganda’s important growth sectors contributing about US$ 290 million to the GDP. The animals are characterized into cattle, goats, pigs, sheep and poultry. 71% of Ugandan’s household are engaged in livestock rearing. Fisheries in Uganda are the second exchange earner for the country. The investment in fisheries is estimated at US$ 200 million with employment of over 700,000 people.
Competitive strength of the sector
Animals
- Ugandan beef industry is compliant with the Arabic Norms in Animal Slaughtering process
- Tropical weather climate favours livestock farming
- Adequate supply of trained and affordable human resources. For instance veterinary doctors
- Availability of market for livestock that is in Uganda, EAC, COMEA Region
- Ankole cattle have low cholesterol levels which is a good health attribute
- Good legal framework in the sector
- Uganda has about 1000 valley dams for livestock
- Current legal framework support private sector investment
Fisheries
- Cost of industrial land to set up processing facilities in Uganda is the cheapest in the region.
- Number of weekly work hours per employee in the sector is very competitive in the region with Uganda at 50.3hours compared to Kenya at 51.
- Lower labour rates than other countries in the region with highly trained professionals in Fisheries related fields
- Reliable water bodies and climate for fish farming and processing
- Uganda is ranked 10th exporter of fisheries products in Africa
- Uganda’s fish is organic by practices and could be branded for premium price
- Fish importers indicate that Ugandan fish is more delicious compared with fish from Kenyan and Tanzania side of Lake Victoria due to shallow depth on Ugandan aide
- Strong and visible Umbrella Association that supports investors in the sector
Volume of fish catches by water body
Uganda has more than 350 fish species, the Nile perch and Tilapia remain the most important, making up 46% and 38% of the total. The sector depends on natural water bodies which account for about 18% of Uganda’s total surface area. Lake Victoria the largest tropical lake and second largest fresh water lake in the world contributes 60% of the annual fish catch of 223,100 metric tons while other lakes such as Albert 15% (56,000) and Kyoga contributes 16% (60,000)
Market for livestock
There is an increase in the demand for meat and milk products both locally and internationally and this has escalated the number of livestock in the country.
Uganda’s livestock export earnings have grown with hides; skins and fur skin is the major export earners followed by dairy products, birds eggs, meat, live animals and meat preparations to Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan and Middle East countries and European Union.
Annual production in animal’s products (metric tonnes) 2012
Beef 2,084,000
Pork (pigs) 1,885,000
Goats meat 2,750,000
Sheep 648,000
Milk 39,900,000
Poultry 25,066,000
Investment opportunities in the sector
Animals
- Construction of modern abattoirs to enable meat production and processing
- Production of animal drugs for the treatment of animals
- Animal feeds processing
- Tanning of hides and skins
- Extensive ranching
- Beef ranching
- Animal reproduction
- Bird reproduction
- Abattoirs for pigs
- Vaccine production units
Fisheries
- Local and regional cold distribution chain
- Dry/smoked fish
- Manufacture of value added fish products
- Production of high value added by products
- Fish and fish products export marketing
- Marketing ornamental fish species
- Scale fish farming