Apiculture Industry In Uganda

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Apiculture Industry In Uganda

• By
• Dr. Nicholas Kauta
• Commissioner Livestock Health And Entomology
  MAAIF
• October 2006

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• Introduction
• History of agricultural systems in Uganda
• Current status
• Strengths and weaknesses
• Existing opportunities and threats
• Conclusion

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Facts about Uganda

• Area about 241000 square kilometers
• Rainfall average about 1200mm (min 750mm, max
  1800mm).
• Bimodal rainfall in most parts
• About 20 is surface water (lakes, rivers,
  swamps)
• Abundant vegetation cover.
• Temperature average 28oc
• High altitude hence moderate temperatures

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Historic perspective (policy climate)

• Before colonial times all forms of agriculture
  were basically subsistence in nature
• During colonial times, support to agriculture was
  tailored to requirements for raw materials for
  their domestic industries (markets). Cash crops
  were introduced.

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Historic perspective contd

• They were developed to be referred to later as
  traditional exports
• Those enterprises/commodities that did not get
  attention from colonial masters did not develop
  (including apiculture). They are currently
  referred to as non-traditional exports because of
  their late entry into export initiatives.

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General trend

• Agriculture is generally under funded (between 2
  and 4 of budget allocation)
• Even within agriculture, apiculture was not a
  priority.
• Agriculture is generally not commercialized
• Processing of agricultural products is not a
  developed art
• Knowledge of marketing of agricultural outputs is
  very low
• Credit to the agricultural sector is
  insignificant
• Agricultural infrastructure is generally lacking

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Pillars of Ugandas economy in the 1960s

• Cotton
• Coffee
• Copper
• Tea
• Tobacco
• Tourism

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Traditional exports (85 of national exports)

• Cotton
• Coffee
• Tea
• Tobacco

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Characterizing the traditional export sector
support

• Government support to enterprises especially
  through cooperatives
• Direct and indirect investments by the
  beneficiaries - mainly foreign initiatives
  (market outlets)
• Contract farming

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Non traditional exports

• Sericulture
• Honey (apiculture)
• Vegetables and flowers
• Animal products (beef, dairy and fish)
• Spices

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Characterizing the non-traditional export sector
support

• Support from international non-profit making
  organizations (FAO, CARE, Commonwealth)
• Objective was to kick start enterprises but no
  market promotion activities were undertaken
• The demands of markets are catered for by the
  exporting nation
• Local people are getting involved in market
  development
• Limited or no government support

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CURRENT SITUATION

• Production estimates are unreliable
• Estimated national potential is 500,000 metric
  tonnes (Prof Horn)

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Strengths

• Abundant resources for apiculture Very high
  potential for honey and other bee-product
  production (healthy indigenous honeybees,
  sting-less bees, forage for bees, climate etc.)
• Some indigenous knowledge on bee farming

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Sector specific weaknesses

• Very low public sector support hence lack of
  national approach to bee farming
• Lack of critical mass of people with essential
  knowledge and skills in the sector
• No apiculture policy (currently in draft)
• Lack of a comprehensive strategic national plan
  for apiculture (currently in draft)
• Incompetence in production, processing, packaging
  and marketing of products
• Weak organizational linkages between stakeholders
  in the sector

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Weaknesses contd (marketing constraints)

• The internal market has not been good enough to
  stimulate production.
• Sector not yet commercial (only starting to focus
  in the direction)
• Lack of knowledge of market outlets and market
  requirements
• Lack of production processing and marketing
  infrastructure
• Minimal market development efforts

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Weaknesses contd (marketing constraints)

• Limited quality products
• Limited options of packaging materials

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Threats

• Reducing vegetation cover (habitat loss)
• Increasing pesticide use
• High minimum standards for world market access

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What dampened local initiative

• Per capita income is US 300
• 38 of the population earn below US 1 per
  day.
• Since apiculture has been a rural initiative the
  difficulty of accumulating investment capital
  under the circumstances is very remote.
• Unfavorable credit terms
• The mid-term expenditure framework (often
  regarded important but not urgent)

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Elements of local development initiatives

• To explore potential markets and work towards
  them
• To attract investors to play middleman and link
  producers with the market.

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Current initiative Public sector (since 2000)

• Apiculture Policy formulated
• Apiculture Development and export Strategy
  formulated
• Standards formulated
• Formation of Umbrella organization for the sector
  supported
• Sector legislation improved
• Support to quality assurance to support exports
  done (EU compliant)

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Current initiative Private sector (since 2000)

• Umbrella body TUNADO is active and has registered
  membership
• Over 20 associations/companies active in the
  sector
• Some companies can go the full range of
  processing, packaging and marketing
• Several local brands on the market
• Effort to attract some investments from outside.

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Conclusion

• Development of the sector must be on both public
  and private sector fronts. Therefore support to
  apiculture must be holistic and address
  production, processing and marketing.

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The End.Thank you Ladies Gentlemen!