Farming is a big part of life in Uganda. In the villages, most families grow crops or raise animals. It’s how they eat, earn money, and live. For years, people focused on crops like maize or beans, or maybe chickens. Those are the usual choices. Safe and familiar. But lately, something different is happening. People are starting to farm ducks.

At first, it might seem unusual. Ducks aren’t the first thing most farmers think about. But in many parts of Uganda, they’re slowly becoming a smart option. And for good reason. Ducks are tough birds. They don’t get sick easily, and they can live in simple shelters. You don’t need to spend much on feed either. Ducks are happy eating leftovers, greens, and whatever they find in the yard. 

There’s also money in it. Duck eggs and meat are becoming more popular, especially in towns and cities. Hotels and restaurants are adding duck dishes to their menus. People want something new, and they like that duck meat is tasty and full of nutrients. 

Here is story of a woman from Luweero. She began with only twenty ducks and a very simple coop made of wood and wires. That’s all she had. Now? She runs a successful business. She has ducks, the eggs and she also teaches other people how to rear the birds. The following is just an example of hundreds of such stories. 

It is therefore evident that the farming of ducks is transforming lives in Uganda. It is no longer just a leisure activity that one engages in during a spare time. It is a real business venture that generates some amount of profit. In this article, we are going to discuss about that journey from the basic level to the business level of ducks. Regardless of whether you’re a producer, commercialist, a farmer, or a knowledge seeker, this might be the story you ever wanted to hear. Let’s dive in.

Understand how duck farming is becoming a fast-growing alternative to chicken farming in Uganda due to low costs and high adaptability.

Discover real success stories of Ugandan farmers who turned small duck farms into thriving agribusinesses.

Learn step-by-step how to start a duck farm, from choosing breeds to managing health and feeding.

Explore the wide range of investment opportunities from feed supply to export-focused processing units.

Gain insight into current challenges in the sector and how they open doors for smart, targeted solutions.

When Ugandans think of poultry farming, then they used to think of only chickens. It was quite clear how to raise them. It was the safe choice. Chickens were reared in most homes and on commercial farms in the villages, and in the cities. But now, there is a change, a shift, a new generation. Slowly and gradually, without making much fuss, ducks are entering the farming arena.

It was initiated by a few farmers only. Perhaps they have never had good luck with chickens. Perhaps, they desired something more mundane. So, they gave ducks a try. Soon they were able to observe a change. Ducks didn’t get sick easily. They didn’t need expensive feed. They could survive on leftovers, grass, and what they found around the house. Whether it was dry season or rainy, ducks seemed to manage well.

Slowly, more farmers began to notice. According to Uganda’s 2021 Livestock Census, there are now over 3.3 million ducks across the country. That number shows this isn’t just a small trend it’s growing.

Why? Because ducks are easier to care for. And because they sell well. In cities, more people are buying duck meat. It tastes different richer, more filling. Health-conscious families like it too. Restaurants and hotels have started adding duck to their menus. Even duck eggs are catching people’s attention.

Now, in places like Luweero or Mityana, you’ll find farmers proudly showing off their duck flocks. They’re not just doing it for food anymore. They’re turning it into a business. Some are selling eggs. Some are training others. All of them are part of something bigger.

Duck farming in Uganda is no longer an experiment. It’s real, it’s growing, and it’s giving hope to many small farmers. Bit by bit, ducks are changing the way people think about farming in this country.

Ducks Are Strong and Resilient

Ducks can handle tough weather. Whether it’s heavy rain or strong sun, they keep moving. They don’t get sick easily like chickens do. That means less stress and fewer losses for farmers.

Low-Cost and Low-Stress Farming

You don’t need much money to start. Ducks don’t ask for fancy homes or special food. They’ll eat scraps from your kitchen, insects, weeds, and grains. If you let them walk around your yard or field, they’ll find most of their food by themselves. This helps you cut down on feed costs every day.

Natural Helpers on the Farm

Ducks are great for gardens and farms. They eat bugs and weeds, which means fewer pests. At the same time, their droppings act like natural fertilizer. So while they eat and walk around, they also make your soil better.

A Growing Market for Duck Products

Duck meat is becoming more popular. It’s tasty, rich, and sells well in markets especially in towns and cities. Hotels and restaurants are starting to add duck dishes to their menus. Duck eggs are also in demand. They are rich in protein, iron and vitamin B12 and therefore are considered as good for the body.

A Smart Option for Ugandan Farmers

All the above factors make ducks a sound investment. It is inexpensive to rear them, are easy to rear and they are capable of yielding high returns. Whether you need food, profit, or a method to increase productivity of the land, ducks can provide all of them without you having to invest much in them

Choose the Right Duck Breed

First of all, you have to select the breed that will be suitable for the goal that you have set for it. Want eggs? Choose Khaki Campbell they are prolific layers, even up to 300 eggs per annum. If you want to go for meat, Pekin ducks are very suitable in this aspect. They mature within a short time and their meat is soft in comparison to the mature animals. Muscovy ducks are suitable if you want both meat and low maintenance. They are shy, muscular, and can even search for their own food when they are let to roam around on their own.

Set Up a Simple and Safe Shelter

I have realized that ducks do not require any special structure to have as their home or shelter. A structure made of wood or of iron sheets or any other scraps should suffice. The only thing that you should ensure is that it does not expose them to dogs, snakes or other wild animals. The floor should stay dry, and the space should be well-ventilated. At night, they need a place to rest. During the day, they’ll enjoy walking around freely.

Feeding: Let Ducks Help You Save

One of the best things about ducks is their flexible diet. They’ll happily eat leftover food, chopped greens, kitchen waste, or grains like maize bran and rice polish. If you have space, let them roam they’ll eat bugs, grass, and snails. You can still give them a little extra feed in the evening to help them grow faster or lay more eggs. Always provide clean water, especially while eating, as ducks need it to swallow properly.

Breeding and Hatching New Ducklings

If you want to grow your flock, keep a good ratio—around one male (drake) for every 4–5 females. Ducks often sit on their eggs and hatch ducklings naturally. But if you’re running a larger farm, you might want to use an incubator to get more control over the hatching process. That way, you can time your duckling batches better.

Keep Ducks Healthy with Basic Care

Ducks usually stay healthy, but you still need to be alert. Clean their shelter often. Make sure they have dry bedding, especially in rainy seasons. Don’t keep too many ducks in one small space. Give them fresh water and food daily. For bigger farms, it helps to talk to a vet now and then especially for vaccines or when something feels off.

Carol’s Small Start Turned Into a Growing Business

Carol Zawedde Sanyu is a resident of Luweero District. She didn’t start big. In 2019, she was able to buy only twenty ducklings and constructed a small house using wooden poles and mesh wires. Initially, it was done to check the performance of ducks only. What she discovered was quite astonishing to her ducks are relatively easier compared to chickens. They required less feed, did not fall ill frequently, and had a good rate of growth. 

In several months, Carol was able to witness her ducks laying eggs and producing income. She began selling ducklings and their products such as meat and eggs to the restaurants and shops in the neighboring areas. Today, she has over 500 ducks in her farm known as MLinza Mixed Farm. For her, she employs the free-range system where the ducks are allowed to go out in the morning until evening. She maintains low costs as well as the health of the ducks. 

Her biggest win? Building a loyal customer base among city restaurants that want clean, farm-raised duck meat. She now earns enough to support her family and expand her farm bit by bit.

Shubey’s Ducks Changed More Than Her Income

Shubey Nantege Luzinda took her love for farming a step further. She started duck farming not only to make a living but to create something bigger education and community support. She founded the Great Habib Smart Farm Academy. Besides raising ducks, she began training youth and women on how to farm profitably. 

She didn’t stop there. She added value by turning duck meat into burgers and packaged products. Her farm became a place where learning, farming, and business came together. Today, Shubey is seen as a role model in her area.

Her story shows how duck farming can go beyond food—it can be a tool for change.

Raising Over a Million Ducks in Four Years

It is the story of one of the most passionate and dedicated farmer that Uganda has ever produced in the duck farming business. With mere capital, he started small with a few ducks, simple shelters, and the prospects that this new business idea could succeed. He didn’t rely on luck. Rather, he used every penny of profit that he got back into the farm, gradually and systematically.

Over the next four years, his hard work paid off in a big way. He raised more than one million ducks during that time. By hiring and training local workers, he also created jobs in his community. Today, his farm supplies duck meat to large hotels, restaurants, and urban markets. He has shown that duck farming is not just for small backyard setups—it can be scaled into a thriving commercial business that feeds cities and creates livelihoods.

Starting Small Doesn’t Mean Staying Small

You don’t need a big budget to begin duck farming. Many Ugandan farmers start with UGX 1–5 million. That’s enough for a small flock, a basic shelter, feed, and some equipment. If managed well, this small setup can start generating income in just a few months.

Daily Costs Stay Low

Ducks are not picky eaters. Most farmers use a mix of maize bran, kitchen leftovers, and greens. Many even let their ducks roam, which cuts feeding costs further. You’ll spend less compared to chicken farming, especially since ducks rarely need medical care.

Good Profits, Especially in Cities

In towns and cities, demand for duck meat and eggs is growing. One duck can lay over 200–300 eggs a year. Each egg can sell for UGX 500–800 depending on the location. Duck meat, on the other hand, sells at a premium often more than chicken. Restaurants, hotels, and health-conscious families are major buyers.

Local Markets and New Niches

More Ugandans are becoming open to trying duck products. Farmers who offer clean, well-packaged duck meat and eggs can build steady customer bases. Farmers like Carol and Shubey have already tapped into this and built a name for themselves.

Growing Export Potential

Though still small, Uganda’s duck farming sector has room to grow internationally. With proper hygiene practices and certification, duck meat could be exported to nearby countries where demand is rising. Investors could look at processing and export-focused operations.

It is a sad fact that farmer training is lacking, but it is also a business opportunity.

Through the provision of adequate training, many farmers in Uganda would be interested in practicing duck farming. Even to this date, most of the local agriculture programs remain limited to chickens only. Thus, duck farmers are left to their own devices to solve problems. This is an opportunity for the investors to establish training centers, mobile advisory services or online learning institutions to directly support these farmers.

Feed and Vet Supply Chains Are Weak

Ducks don’t need much to survive, but commercial farms do need proper feed and vet services. In many places, there’s no specialized duck feed, and vets usually only know how to treat chickens or cows. This creates room for investors to build small feed mills, distribute ready feed, or offer on-call poultry vets focused on ducks.

The Market Needs Stability and Support

These are some of the reasons that fluctuate the prices of duck meat and eggs in the market especially the rural markets. Many people still prefer chicken. That is why the investors could help to develop such aspects as better cold storage, smart packaging, and contracts with hotel and restaurant industries to guarantee the demand

Consumer Habits Can Be Changed

In some parts of Uganda, ducks aren’t yet a common meal. But cities are showing demand. There’s clear room for marketing campaigns, food product branding, and chef partnerships to make duck meat more accepted and premium.

Ducks and Fish: A Win-Win Farming Model

In Uganda, some farmers are using a smart system: raising ducks and fish together. It works well. Ducks walk around fish ponds, eat weeds and insects, and their droppings act as natural fertilizer for the pond. This helps the fish grow faster, and the farmer earns from both ducks and fish without needing much extra land or cost. For investors, supporting integrated farms like these could mean higher returns with lower input costs.

Tech Makes Farming Smarter

More farmers are now using their phones to run their farms. They post duck products on WhatsApp, Facebook, and TikTok to reach buyers directly. Others use YouTube to learn new skills. This digital shift is a big chance for investors to build mobile apps, online stores, or digital advisory tools for duck farmers.

NGO and Government Support Is Growing

Some NGOs and local government programs now offer training, small grants, or start-up kits for poultry farming. Duck farmers are slowly being included. Investors can partner with these programs to scale up operations or expand access to remote areas.

Feed Production and Supply Chains

Ducks eat less than chickens and can live on low-cost feeds but as farms grow, the demand for quality feed also grows. Right now, most duck farmers rely on improvised mixes. There are very few feed brands in Uganda focused on ducks. This gap opens the door for investors to create local feed processing units, retail hubs, or even mobile delivery systems tailored for rural areas.

Processing and Value Addition

Most duck farmers sell raw meat or eggs. But there’s real value in turning these into ready-to-eat products. Duck burgers, sausages, frozen cuts, and marinated meat are already gaining attention in urban markets. Investors can step in to set up small processing plants, cold storage, and branded packaging that target supermarkets, hotels, and export buyers.

Training and Extension Services

Many farmers want to try duck farming but don’t know how to start. There’s space for agribusiness service models training hubs, mobile vet clinics, farm visits, and even digital learning apps. Investors can build businesses that offer these services and earn from subscriptions, farm inputs, or technical support fees.

Export-Oriented Operations

Though still early, Uganda has the right climate, space, and labor force to build a regional duck export hub. With the right investment in hygiene standards, cold chains, and certifications, duck meat and eggs could reach markets in Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and beyond.

Franchising or Contract Farming Models

Investors can also build networks by setting up contract farming models. You invest in training and inputs, and the farmers supply ducks back to you. This creates a steady supply and helps maintain product quality. It’s already working in the chicken industry—and ducks could be next.

Duck farming in Uganda has grown from a quiet idea into a real business model. What started as a side project for a few farmers has now become a strong source of income for many. Ducks are low-cost to raise, tough in harsh weather, and don’t need expensive feed or complex care. That makes them suitable for small scale farmers and also the large scale farmers or farming industries.

Today, there is even a tendency of having many duck farms in districts such as Luweero, Wakiso among others. They are supplying meat and eggs to hotels, supermarkets, and directly to the consumer. Some are even training others, creating value and brands.

But this is just the beginning.

Uganda has all the potential to develop the production of ducks as one of the leading agribusiness opportunities such as good weather condition, available land, and youthful farmers. What is required today is the intelligent capital investment, upgrading of training programs, facilitation of better feeds and veterinary services, and better supply chain.

For young farmers, it’s a chance to build a future. For investors, it’s an opening to shape a fast-growing market. The demand is real, the risks are low, and the rewards can be long-term.

With the right support and vision, duck farming in Uganda can grow beyond borders and become a regional success story.

FAQs 

1. How much does it cost to start a duck farm in Uganda?
   You can start small with UGX 1–5 million, which covers ducklings, shelter, feed, and basic care.
2. Which duck breeds are best in Uganda?
   Pekin (meat), Khaki Campbell (eggs), and Muscovy (dual-purpose) are the most popular.
3. Where can I sell duck products?
   Urban markets, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, and social media platforms are key selling points.
4. Is duck farming better than chicken farming?
   It depends on your goal, but ducks are more disease-resistant and cheaper to raise long term.
5. What support is available for new duck farmers?
   NGOs, some government programs, and private training centers now offer startup support and training.