It is located in Mbarara, Masaka, Rakai, Sembabule and Lyantonde districts.
The Bahima pastoralists are the beneficiaries of the scheme.
This area receives unreliable rainfall and the dry seasons are longer than the wet seasons.
Work on the scheme began in 1960 when rinderpest killed over 90% of the animals owned by the Bahima.
Wild animals were also killed because they acted as hosts of tsetse flies.
In 1963, spraying using insecticides began and bushes along the Mbarara – Masaka road were cleared.
A research station was set up at Ruhenge to cater for cross-breeding between Red Poll, Angus, Zebu, Ankole long-horned cattle and Boran.
A pasture station was set up at Muko to improve on the grass for feeding the animals
A market was set up at Sangu along the Ankole-Masaka highway to encourage the Bahima to sell their animal products.
Benefits of Ankole Masaka Ranching Scheme
- Weed killers have been applied to remove unwanted plants.
- Leguminous grass has been planted which is nutritious for the animals to replace the unwanted spear grass from the ranches.
- Meat and milk collecting centres have been set up to encourage Bahima to sell animal products.
- Veterinary services have been brought nearer to the pastoralists.
- Farmers have been encouraged to sell off some of their animals to control the spread of diseases.
- Efficient transport systems have been developed to enable the farm products to reach the urban market.
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