About the Project

Beneficiaries under this project are first trained, together with at least one other member of their household in a two day basic livestock management course. In this training, the beneficiaries are also taught how to provide good care and support to pigs and how to raise them as a viable income generating project.

At the end of the training course, the beneficiaries are supported to set up piggery housing structures before they are then given a ‘pig-seed’. The ‘pig-seed’ comprises of one male and one female piglet that are usually between 2-3 months old. The beneficiaries are expected to raise their livestock for a further 4 months until maturity (7-8 months old). Over the first 3 months of the project, the beneficiaries are given medication and partial dietary support for their livestock.

Upon the first spawning of the female pig, each original beneficiary is then expected to return two piglets of the first brood when they reach two months old, that are in turn passed on to another beneficiary in another phase of the project. Only once a beneficiary has reached this stage can the project be deemed fully theirs. The second round beneficiaries are also expected to go through the same project procedure as their predecessors, continuing the cycle. From this point, the beneficiaries are expected to begin to realise proceeds from their project through either the sale of piglets or raising them until maturity for sale (at a much higher price).

Typical Project Costs

For a project benefiting 20 members, a total of UGX 4,000,000 (approx £1,400) is required to support the first phase beneficiaries of this project.

Breakdown:

• ‘Pig-seed’ for one beneficiary - £30
• Training costs for 20 members - £150
• IGA support (medication, feeds, follow-up supervision) costs for 20 members over 3 months - £650
  

Case Study

William Bukulu's Story

‘Willy’ Bukulu is a phase II beneficiary of one of the SPAU piggery projects in Kaliro – Masaka district. Willy received his ‘pig-seed’ from another member of the same group who had received theirs from SPAU one year ago.

Previously, Willy had benefited from agricultural training provided by the local government in the area. "The problem with the government is that they do not give capital to take their ideas forward", Willy admits.

From the piggery project, Willy maximises the use of the piggery droppings to benefit his banana and cassava plantations for manure. He learnt this from the training and now he spends less on purchasing fertilisers from the town. "Last term, the money I saved helped me complete my two children’s examination fees before the school could throw them out", Willy adds.

The project aims to share such successful experiences with other beneficiaries to inspire them raise their own projects equally or even more successfully.