NARO awards young innovators in poultry business

9 July 2024, 5:25 pm

By Byamukama Alozious

National Agricultural Research Organization’s Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MUZARDI) has awarded grants to young innovators developing green technologies in chicken farming, adding value to the agricultural chain. The “Greening the Chicken Value Chain” initiative, implemented in partnership with the University of Burundi, aims to upscale climate resilient technologies in the chicken value chain in Uganda and Burundi.

At the poultry conference held at Gudie Leisure Farm, which attracted hundreds of youths from different parts of the country, Owen Singura, Research Officer and Project Coordinator for Greening Chicken Value Chain, said, “The awarded innovators are creating solutions to the challenges poultry farmers face. Many farmers claim that agriculture has no benefits because they haven’t invested in environmental-friendly measures or adopted technology in their business.”

Earlier, the winners had submitted their pitches, which were judged by a team of agricultural experts, including Gudula Naiga Basaza of Gudie Leisure Farm. The pitches were evaluated based on their innovativeness, feasibility, and potential impact on the chicken value chain.

Institutions such as Makerere University, Kyambogo University, and others participated in a highly competitive pitch competition, showcasing their innovative solutions. After a rigorous evaluation process, Magezi Frank Rubandamayonza and Etyang Aaron emerged as the winners, receiving a grant of 2.5 million shillings for their smart brooder technology.

Their innovative solution uses solar energy to provide real time automatic heating, eliminating the need for human labour. “Our technology can connect to a mobile phone, allowing farmers to monitor their brooders remotely, even when they’re far away,” they explained. Currently, their technology is in high demand in areas such as Katete, Ntungamo, and others.

The innovative solution addresses the common practice of using charcoal for brooding, which requires constant monitoring. “Many farmers use charcoal to brood their chickens, and some even sleep in the brooding house to keep monitoring. Our technology solves these problems,” they added.