By Harriet Nakamya
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has intensified its nationwide farmer sensitization campaign on Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) prevention and control through a stakeholder engagement held in Buikwe District.
The engagement was led by the Assistant Commissioner for Animal Production, Dr. Alex Mukasa, and the National Coordinator for Foot and Mouth Disease Control, Dr. Ben Ssenkeera.
The officials met livestock farmers, local leaders, veterinary personnel and other stakeholders to discuss practical measures for controlling FMD.
The stakeholders were also briefed about preparations for the forthcoming national vaccination campaign under the FMD Cost-Recovery Scheme.
Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Mukasa emphasized that FMD remains one of the most economically damaging livestock diseases in Uganda, affecting cattle, goats, sheep and pigs.
“Outbreaks continue to undermine livestock productivity, disrupt animal trade and movement, reduce household incomes and limit Uganda’s competitiveness in regional and international livestock markets” he said.
He urged farmers to embrace preventive disease control measures, particularly vaccination, biosecurity and prompt reporting of suspected disease cases.
He further explained that the Government has made substantial investments in vaccine procurement, cold chain infrastructure, vaccine distribution systems and veterinary service delivery to ensure that quality vaccines reach farmers across the country.
Dr. Ben Ssenkeera provided detailed guidance on the implementation of the FMD Cost-Recovery Scheme, explaining that the programme is designed to establish a sustainable financing mechanism for continuous disease control while maintaining Government support for vaccination service delivery.
He clarified that under the scheme, Government will continue to finance vaccine storage, transportation, cold chain management, supervision, monitoring and administration of vaccines, while farmers make a modest contribution towards the cost of the vaccine itself.
“The contribution is set at UGX 8,000 per dose for cattle and pigs and UGX 4,000 per dose for goats and sheep” he said.
Dr. Ssenkeera further informed farmers that vaccination is not merely a disease-control measure but an important investment in the protection of livestock assets and access to markets.
He explained that vaccinated animals are healthier, more productive and less likely to suffer the severe production losses associated with FMD outbreaks, including reduced milk production, weight loss, infertility, poor growth rates and mortality among young stock.
The farmers were also sensitized on the ongoing registration and onboarding process, which aims to establish a national livestock database to support disease surveillance, vaccination planning, traceability and issuance of vaccination certificates.
The certificates will serve as proof of vaccination and facilitate animal movement and trade in compliance with national animal health regulations.
The participants welcomed the initiative and raised questions regarding vaccination procedures, payment modalities, movement requirements, registration processes and the role of local governments in supporting implementation of the programme.
Ministry officials provided clarification and assured farmers that adequate support structures have been established to ensure smooth implementation.
The engagement forms part of a nationwide sensitization campaign being undertaken by MAAIF ahead of the July–August 2026 national FMD vaccination exercise.
The campaign seeks to mobilize livestock farmers and other stakeholders to actively participate in the programme and contribute to the collective effort of controlling FMD, protecting livestock investments and improving Uganda’s livestock productivity and trade opportunities.
MAAIF called upon all livestock farmers in Buikwe District and across the country to register their animals, complete the onboarding process and prepare for the forthcoming vaccination exercise as part of the national effort to control and eventually eliminate the impact of Foot and Mouth Disease.
