The potential role of crop wastes in Uganda’s future pork and poultry meat production: A mini review

In Uganda, it is projected that pork and poultry meat consumption will exceed any other livestock meat in the next decade. However, pork and poultry meat in most markets in Uganda is less healthy which may predispose consumers to risks of cardiovascular complications. This is due to the high fatty acid saturation of the two meat products on the market resulting from the compromise on feed quality. In an effort to contribute to meeting the projected demand, while ensuring low fatty acid saturation, the current review explores literature on potential low-cost ingredients with low saturated fatty acid composition. The review focuses on post-harvest crop wastes that could be fed to pigs and/or poultry directly and those that can be used to develop other ingredients for use in pig and poultry diets. Sweet potato vines and pumpkin wastes have been found as potential ingredients for use in pig and poultry feeds to produce high-quality meat with enhanced polyunsaturated fatty acids. Other potential ingredients are biochar from crop wastes and insect meals raised on crop wastes. To ensure adoption of these post-harvest wastes for use in animal feeds, there is need to first build capacity of extension workers to train the farmers on the inclusion of post-harvest wastes in pig and poultry diets.