Uganda rolls out digital messaging platform to boost extension support for smallholder pig farmers

UGANDA – The Uganda Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF) has launched PigSmart, a digital messaging platform designed to improve training and support for veterinarians, extension officers, and pig farmers across the country.

With support from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the CGIAR Initiative on Sustainable Animal Productivity, MAAIF will use PigSmart to send timely advice on pig management straight to the field.

The platform delivers digital and multimedia messages covering practical areas such as feeding, herd health, improved genetics, manure management, and heat stress management.

The program is currently being piloted in Kalangala District, a Lake Victoria island where fishing communities have been encouraged to diversify into pig farming. Officials say pig production offers a viable source of income that requires less land and capital.

In April 2025, twelve veterinary extension officers in Kalangala received training through PigSmart’s digital messages. “We want to ensure farmers have information that is practical and accessible,” said a ministry official during the training. “This way, extension officers can reinforce best practices in real time.”

Supporting farmers directly

As part of a wider livelihood project that began in July 2025, MAAIF is supporting 393 female and 107 male farmers in Kalangala by providing each of them with two piglets.

The effort is intended to strengthen household income while introducing modern pig management practices.

PigSmart builds on earlier pilots introduced in late 2024 in districts such as Mpigi, Masaka, Mukono, and Wakiso. Those pilots reached more than 1,200 farmers organized in 55 farmer groups.

Farmers received audio skit messages in Luganda, supported by brochures and herd health manuals that outlined guidance according to pig growth stages.

An endline survey carried out in November 2024 showed clear results. Farmers who received PigSmart messages applied improved practices more often than those who did not.

The messages also emerged as the most trusted source of advice, accounting for between 30 and 50 percent of all guidance on pig production. This was higher than peer-to-peer learning, direct extension services, or printed materials.

Scaling up for national reach

The successful trials in central Uganda, combined with the ongoing Kalangala rollout, have encouraged the ministry to consider expanding PigSmart into other regions. Officials say the platform could become part of Uganda’s national extension system.

“The goal is to use technology to bridge gaps between farmers and extension officers,” said a representative from ILRI. “If scaled, PigSmart could provide farmers across Uganda with reliable, timely, and practical knowledge.”

For farmers in Kalangala and beyond, the messages mean more than advice. They offer a chance to secure livelihoods through improved animal productivity, better incomes, and stronger community resilience.

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