KAMPALA: – The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Hon. Frank Tumwebaze has listed priority areas, the newly appointed substantive Executive Director (ED) of the National Animal Genetics Resources Centre and DataBank (NAGRC&DB) must focus on in order to succeed.
Dr. Peter Beine was appointed on the recommendation of the NAGRC&DB Board of Directors and in accordance with the legal advice of the Attorney General.
Speaking to MediaScape News about the appointment, Hon. Tumwebaze emphasized the critical role of stock farms in the improvement of the national livestock herd and the active participation of NAGRC&DB in farmer education and transformation of the sector from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.
Priorities
Tumwebaze revealed that during his visit to the cattle corridor and in the East, he noted with concern the poor performance of some of “our cattle breeds in the community”. He has now tasked the new ED and his team to ensure that their (NAGRC&DB) outputs are for the betterment of farmers in the community which can be achieved through continuous farmer training sessions and community interfaces.
Other performance targets set out by the minister for NAGRC&DB leadership under Dr. Beine include; ensuring that centre farms becoming knowledge transfer centres to farmers and general private sector actors; reducing the animal import bill to zero; developing a licensing and regulatory framework for animal breeders which will be used to support; and as well licensing and regulating private animal breeders.
Dr. Beine and his team have also been tasked to ensure breed multiply and avail for uptake at subsidized prices; ensuring sufficient numbers of breeding stock on all NAGRC&DB center farms and ranches, effective conservation of all indigenous animal genetic resources; production of safe animal feed enough to meet its internal organizational needs and for availing to private farmers for uptake at subsidized prices.
Rolling out of 18 functional hatcheries in each sub-region and as well covering the country with animal genetic improvement services such as artificial insemination and embryo transfer, should also be fast tracked by Dr.Beine and his team, according to Minister Tumwebaze.
Preaching to the Converted
In a short time he has been in acting capacity, Dr.Beine has already registered some successes implying that Minister Tumwebaze could be preaching to the converted.
“The performance targets for NAGRC&DB are already clarified in the Agro-Industrialization Program Implementation Action of the NDP3; the Minister has further given me policy performance targets to deliver in the current medium term. My team’s work is cut out and we pledge to deliver on our contribution towards the transformation of the sector from subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture,” Dr. Beine told MediaScape News on receiving the news of his appointment.
He went on to list some of the achievements and these include, the unprecedented increase of Non-Tax-Revenue (NTR) collections from the constant UGX 700M since the start of the agency to UGX 3.88 Billion within just seven months of change of leadership. This was vital in the wake of fiscal contractions arising out of the COVID 19 pandemic when the government suffered severe budget constraints.
The government ranches and farms have been revived and are now performing very well. Conservation programs for indigenous local breeds as well as community animal breeding programs are now fully functioning and the stakeholders are energized and excited about NAGRC& DB’s current performance. There has also been a tremendous increase in the number of elite livestock breeding stock bred and multiplied on NAGRC&DB ranches and available to the public for uptake.
On account of the turn-around meritorious performance, NAGRC&DB was, in December 2020, voted the best livestock agency in Uganda through a process led by NPA, OPM and H.E The President and Vice President’s Offices. Against the backdrop of his performance, the Board of Directors appraised and unanimously recommended appointment of Dr. Beine as substantive Executive Director for NAGRC&DB on account of meritorious performance.
Who is Dr. Beine?
Dr. Peter Beine has been the Acting Executive Director at NAGRC&DB for over one year.
Previously, Dr. Beine was the Assistant Commissioner for Agricultural Planning and Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries of Uganda. He has also worked as a research scientist and manager with NARO and ASARECA and has extensive experience in international agricultural development project management with the World Bank, UNEP/GEF and CABI International.
A doctoral graduate of the University of Greenwich in the United Kingdom with a PhD in Agricultural Economics with a focus on agricultural production and productivity economics, Dr. Beine also holds a Master’s Degree in Agriculture from the University of Pretoria in South Africa and a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture from Makerere University.
Dr. Beine gained a lot of ranching experience and livestock development from the sophisticated livestock industries of South Africa, UK and Ireland where he has participated in several international livestock development events.
Dr. Beine is an accomplished administrator, Planner, and livestock development Expert with over 15 years of hands-on practice in both private and public sectors.
Why NAGRC is Hot Potato
The National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB) was established by the Animal Breeding Act, 2001. It’s one of the statutory semi-autonomous bodies of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF). Formation of NAGRC&DB was part of the fulfilment of the aspirations in the National Animal Breeding Policy (1997), document and the Action Plan for its implementation providing guidelines to all actors in the animal breeding and production value-chain.
Commercial Activities
Availing for sale semen, eggs, ova, embryos and associated equipment; management of farms for production, selection and sale of superior dams and sires; rearing of sire studs for production and sale of semen; production and sale of liquid nitrogen and associated equipment; production and sale of founder brood stock of fisheries resources; offer for sale properly bred stock through pathways such as open nucleus schemes; and procurement and sale of other breeding and reproduction equipment.
Development Activities
Serving as National Animal Genetic Data Bank; serving as National Central Livestock Registry; serving as the National Animal Genetic Resources Evaluation Centre and Laboratory; serving as a national gene depository and examination Centre for Genetic materials; quarantine and evaluation of imported genetic materials; offering specialized training to technicians dealing in animal breeding; training of staff and farmers in aspects of animal, poultry and fish breeding; collaboration in animal breeding and production environments research;
Encouraging the formation of breeder and breed organizations; providing guidance in breeding and multiplication of improved breeds; promotion of herd-recording, and performance testing on farms; promotion of natural mating especially in areas where Artificial insemination is not available; and as well developing breeding extension guidelines for farmers and extension workers.