We need to collectively improve the welfare of hens in the country – Uganda Vegan Society.

Nabaasa Innocent the Executive Director of Uganda Vegan Society has called upon all stakeholders to improve the welfare of hens and poultry in the country as this will help in value addition and the prevention of Anti Microbial Resistance.

According to Nabaasa, their advocacy for improved welfare of hens is both beneficial to humans and the birds because they too have rights that need to be protected.

“Our addiction to meat, fuelled by failed policies, corporate greed and unscrupulous marketing campaigns is causing animal suffering on unimaginable scale. It is driving climate change, pollution, antibiotic resistance and destroying wild animal habitants” Nabaasa explained participants.

“We are advocating to an end to battery cages, when hens are in those cages they don’t leave their full life potential which leads to their suffering hence poor quality poultry products” Nabaasa highlighted.

“We want to work with farmers on this, and later we shall also engage government to make sure that we improve the welfare of poultry because the Uganda constitution also well provides for the improved welfare of animals” she added.

In poultry, the term battery cages arises from the arrangement of rows and columns of identical cages connected in a unit and it’s primarily for egg-laying hens. Over the years, this system has generated a lot of controversy between advocates for animal welfare and industrial producers.

The Uganda Vegan Society Executive director made these remarks at an engagement workshop with poultry farmers in Kampala on Friday.

This Workshop that was organized under the theme “Free the Hen” focused on engaging farmers on how they can end the use of battery cages to reduce the suffering of hens raised for eggs through the cage free campaign.

Ms. Bukirwa Hanat a Poultry farmer from Kyebando highlighted that this workshop has benefited her greatly because she learnt that even though you have little space, poultry birds shouldn’t be put in battery cages because they pause a great harm to their lives.

“If you have little space rare a few birds such that they can leave their full life potential, instead of putting them in cages for them to suffer” she added.

Hanat also advised those willing to join the poultry business to first equip themselves with prior knowledge before starting as this will help them get minimal profits and enjoy the business.

Ms. Anna Naiga a poultry farmer from Wattuba noted that the main challenge they face at the moment is feeding which arises from the continued fluctuation of feeds prices at the market.

She also encouraged fellow farmers to put a few birds in the cages and not congest them as this will help them also enjoy their freedom.

As an organization started in 2019, Uganda Vegan Society believes that farmed animals deserve good lives free from cruelty and exploration.