© 2023 JOY Goat Development Programme

Where we are active

Core areas

Our Field Officers are based in Southeast Elgon and the surrounding districts, Eastern and Northern Rwenzori Mountains and Greater Masaka. That is where the JOY Goat Development outreach programme is most active and also where we are starting the partnership in the Kabulya selective breeding programme. A list of districts is given below.

In these core areas, we are able to work with small, medium or large farmers’ groups - that is groups of at least 10 farmers, and no maximum limit.

We can also work  with individual farmers if they are aiming for at least 25 breeding females under open-grazing, or at least 10 breeding females if they are zero-grazing.

If you satisfy these requirements and are interested in partnership, please contact us.

The districts that we consider our core areas are:

SE Elgon and surround
Budaka District
Bukedea District
Butaleja District
Butebo District
Manafwa District
Mbale District
Mbale City
Sironko District

Greater Masaka
Bukomansimbi District
Kalungu District
Kyotera District
Lwengo District
Masaka City
Masaka District
Ssembabule District (South)

Rwenzori Mountains, East
Bunyangabu District (SW)
Kasese District

Rwenzori Mountains, North
Bundibugyo District (North)
Kabarole District (East)
Ntoroko District (South)

Extended core areas

Our extended core areas include any place that can be visited in a day, but beyond the core areas above.

In this  region, we are able to work with medium or large farmers’ groups - that is groups of at least 30 farmers. The groups must be pre-existing (i.e. not formed purely for the purpose of goat breeding), be supervised by an established CBO or NGO or be able to demonstrate self-reliance. This is because follow-up may be less frequent than in the true core areas.

Individual farmers must be aiming for at least 50 breeding females if they are open-grazing, or at least 15 breeding females if they are zero-grazing. Similarly, they must demonstrate a high level of self-reliance and organisation

If you satisfy these requirements and are interested in partnership, please contact us.

The districts in the extended core areas are:

Greater Masaka
Butambala District
Kalangala (Main Island)
Kazo District
Gomba District
Lyantonde District
Mpigi District
Rakai District
Ssembabule District (North)

Rwenzori Mountains
Bundibugyo District
  (South, East)
Bunyangabu District
  (North, East)
Kabarole District
  (North, South, West)
Ntoroko District (North)
Rubirizi District

Elgon and surround
Bududa District
Bukwa District
Bulambuli District
Busia District
Kapchorwa District
Kibuku District
Kumi District
Kween District
Namisindwa District
Namutumba District
Ngora District
Pallisa District
Tororo District

Rest of Uganda

We are interested in working in all parts of Uganda. But because of the cost of transport, it is only feasible to work with large groups of smallholders or large-scale individual farmers, outside of the above core regions.

By large farmers’ groups we mean groups of at least 50 farmers, or groups having at least 100 breeding females between all the members.

In the case of ranchers, individual farmers must be aiming for at least 100 breeding females, but preferably at least 200 breeding females.  Small groups of medium-scale farmers would also be considered if the total number of breeding females is at least 200.

For individual farmers who are zero-grazing, they should be aiming for at least 30 breeding females.

Groups and individuals need to be able to demonstrate a very high degree of organisation and self-reliance, because we will only be able to make occasional follow-up visits

If you satisfy these requirements and are interested in partnership, please contact us.

Other countries in East Africa

Although the breeding programme is designed with Uganda in mind, it would be equally applicable to any country in the wet tropics. In the case of South Sudan, Kenya, Eastern DRC, Rwanda and Burundi, it might be possible for our Field Officers to make occasional visits. We would therefore consider partnership with any large-scale breeder or well-organised NGO or farmers’ organisation. It is not possible to give specific requirements like those above; any application would be considered on its own merits.

Other countries

We are very happy to exchange experience with goat breeders based anywhere in the world. But it would most likely be in the form of discussions by phone or zoom. Please use our general enquiry form if you would like to make contact.