The Busoga Consortium for Development (BCD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (M O U) with the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre (NAGRIC) to roll out a UGX 126 million poultry project that is expected to transform household incomes and drive rural prosperity.
The initiative, centered on the high-yield Rainbow chicken breed, will be implemented in three phases across model villages. By 2030, experts project that each village could generate up to UGX 25 billion annually from poultry alone, positioning the sector as a key driver of the sub-region’s economic growth.
The project is anchored within the Busoga 10-Year Development Agenda, a strategic framework aimed at propelling the region into one of Uganda’s most prosperous economic hubs by 2030.
During the signing ceremony, BCD lauded its partners including the Chinese Embassy in Uganda, China Agricultural University, China-Uganda Agricultural Cooperation Industrial Park, Sunbelt Industries, and The Was Company Ltd for supporting the region’s agricultural modernization through donations of post-harvest equipment, modern farming technologies, and investments in value addition.
Wamboga Nicholas, the Director of The Was Company Ltd, reaffirmed his firm’s commitment to the partnership, assuring Busoga Consortium and the people of Busoga that the company will deliver the highest quality support and services.
“We are committed to delivering the best and ensuring quality in everything we provide under this project,” he said, emphasizing the company’s long-term vision to uplift farmers and strengthen Busoga’s agricultural value chains.
The poultry initiative is rooted in the Village Agricultural Model, launched in 2024 by Vice President H.E. Maj. (Rtd.) Jessica Alupo in Namayingo District. The model complements the Parish Development Model (PDM) championed by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and is designed to anchor Busoga’s long-term socio-economic transformation.
Under the phased rollout, 9,000 Rainbow chickens will be distributed across three pilot villages within four months 1,500 in Phase I, 3,000 in Phase II, and 4,500 in Phase III. The chicks will be brooded for six weeks, fully vaccinated, and monitored for disease resistance before distribution. Unlike local breeds, Rainbow chickens produce 170–200 eggs annually, offering higher income potential and greater food security.
“This M O U marks a decisive step in repositioning Busoga as a hub of agricultural productivity and economic prosperity,” the BCD leadership said. “Through the combined efforts of the Government of Uganda and our partners, we are confident these goals are achievable.”
BCD projects that at least 50 percent of households in model villages will be earning no less than UGX 50 million annually by 2030. The poultry project will serve as a critical entry point alongside fisheries, livestock, and crop farming to transform model villages into centers of agricultural excellence.
Regional leaders including First Deputy Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, ministers, cultural and religious leaders, and local government officials have pledged support to ensure the initiative’s success.