Title: Understanding the Paradox of Livestock Farming in Sub-Saharan Africa's Cattle Corridor: Empirical Evidence from Uganda
Authors: Henry Omara
Mark Kiiza
Volume: 10
Issue: 8
Pages: 360-370
Publication Date: 2026/08/28
Abstract:
: Over the decades there has been a growing concern on the challenges of Livestock farming is a major source of livelihood, food security, and economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, the cattle corridor accounts for a substantial share of the national livestock population and contribute significantly to rural incomes. This study examines the paradox of livestock farming in Uganda's cattle corridor by investigating the factors affecting grazing patterns, the adaptation strategies employed by livestock farmers, and the effectiveness of existing policy and institutional frameworks. The study adopted a mixed methodology to enable collection of both qualitative and quantitative data. A total 2033 Farmers were engaged in the study. These were scientifically selected from Cattle corridor region. Survey, interviews and focused group discussion was used. The findings show that farmers respond through a range of adaptation strategies, including herd mobility, pasture conservation, supplementary feeding, water harvesting, and livelihood diversification. While these strategies contribute to resilience, their effectiveness is constrained by inadequate financial resources, weak infrastructure, and limited institutional support. The analysis further reveals that although Uganda has implemented several livestock development policies and programs, challenges related to policy implementation, coordination, and resource allocation continue to undermine their effectiveness. The study concludes that sustainable livestock development in Uganda's cattle corridor requires integrated policy interventions that strengthen climate-resilient grazing systems, improve service delivery, and enhance institutional capacity. The recommends for Governments support, ongoing debates infrastructure, livestock breeding, modern farming systems and regional markets rural development in Sub-Saharan Africa.