Ugandan parliament approves abolition of Dairy Development Authority

UGANDA – The Ugandan parliament has approved the government’s proposal to abolish the Dairy Development Authority (DDA), following the passing of the Dairy Industry (Amendment) Bill, 2024. 

The functions of the DDA will now be integrated into the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, a move supported by the government to streamline operations and reduce redundancy.

Minister of Agriculture, Frank Tumwebaze, defended the merger, stating that the ministry and relevant departments can efficiently take over the DDA’s duties. 

“We aim to consolidate all staff together, pay them better, and implement policy without duplication,” he said. 

Tumwebaze expressed confidence that the merger would result in efficiency gains and harmonized remuneration for staff across the ministry.

However, concerns were raised during parliamentary discussions. Linda Agnes Auma, chairperson of Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, warned that mainstreaming the DDA into the ministry could impact regulatory oversight and market access. 

She stressed the importance of maintaining quality assurance for Uganda’s dairy products, particularly as milk is a perishable good. 

Auma cautioned that the expected savings from the merger might not materialize and emphasized the need for a solid regulatory unit to uphold dairy standards.

In contrast, other MPs voiced their support for the decision. Stephen Rwakanuma, representing Bukanga County, argued that the Ministry of Agriculture is better suited to address the challenges faced by cattle keepers, who are the primary beneficiaries of the dairy sector. 

He asserted that concerns raised by MPs not representing cattle corridors seemed misplaced.

Despite these differing views, Parliament’s decision to abolish the DDA marks a significant shift in managing Uganda’s dairy sector, with ongoing debate about the long-term effects on market regulation, product quality, and smallholder farmers.

In other news, the Ugandan dairy farmers in Nakaseke District have raised concerns about poor road infrastructure, which they say hampers their ability to transport milk to markets in a timely manner, leading to significant spoilage and financial losses. 

The farmers are calling on the government to prioritize road development in the region, which would boost milk production and profitability.

Two long-time dairy farmers, Ndimubunyi Steven and Ntugwa Steven, who have been in the industry for over 30 years, highlighted the impact of poor road conditions. 

Despite rearing high-yield cattle breeds such as Brown Swiss, Jersey, Friesian, and Ankole, they often struggle to transport milk efficiently. 

“We used to transport milk to Goma village, about 50 miles away, where it was sold at very low prices,” they said.

To address some of the challenges, more than 800 farmers in Nakaseke District formed three cooperative societies in 2011: Dwaniro, Nyakarongo, and Migiina. 

These cooperatives were created to secure better market access and fairer prices for milk. The cooperative societies ensure that milk is transported to collection centers within two hours of milking to maintain quality. 

Solar-powered refrigerators, provided by Heifer International, are used to store the milk and prevent spoilage.

Steven Kawoya, the coordinator of the cooperatives, explained that the switch from indigenous cattle to high-yield breeds like Friesian has significantly improved productivity. 

“We first improved the breed of cows, switching from indigenous breeds to Friesian and other high-yield varieties,” he noted.

Despite these advancements, the farmers fear that their progress could be undermined without better roads. They argued that road improvements are essential for ensuring milk reaches markets promptly and preventing further financial losses. 

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