agriculture 17 June 2026 The Observer (Uganda)
Uganda Mandates Six-Month Cattle Vaccinations to Combat Foot and Mouth Disease
Uganda has introduced mandatory, bi-annual vaccinations for cattle and other livestock to combat Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), implementing a cost-sharing model with farmers to ensure sustainable control and protect incomes. The government will cover vaccine procurement and distribution, while farmers contribute a fee per dose. Source: https://observer.ug/news/uganda-makes-cattle-vaccination-mandatory
The Ugandan government is shifting its strategy to combat the persistent threat of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) by making livestock vaccination mandatory every six months. This new policy aims to create herd immunity, prevent recurrent outbreaks, and safeguard the livelihoods of farmers.
State Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Bright Rwamirama Kanyontore, emphasized that success hinges on collaboration among farmers, local leaders, and the private sector. “The fight against Foot and Mouth Disease cannot be won by Government alone; it requires collective effort from all stakeholders,” he stated.
FMD is a highly contagious viral infection affecting cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs. While not typically fatal for adult animals, it significantly reduces milk production, hampers productivity, and leads to costly quarantines that disrupt livestock trade and markets.
Under the new directive, all susceptible animals require vaccination twice a year. Farmers will contribute Shs 8,000 per dose for cattle and pigs, and Shs 4,000 for goats and sheep. The government will continue to fund vaccine acquisition, storage, distribution, and disease surveillance. This cost-sharing approach is designed to establish a sustainable funding mechanism, addressing the limitations of previous government-only vaccination drives that struggled to achieve adequate coverage.
Implementation is already underway, with over 20,000 farmers registered and approximately 3.5 million animals enrolled in a new national vaccination database. The government has procured 53.6 million doses of quadrivalent vaccines for the region’s dominant FMD strains and enhanced storage infrastructure, including 53 solar-powered district vaccine centers. A digital platform will manage farmer registration, payments, and vaccination records, issuing unique identifiers to farmers. Only vaccinated animals will be eligible for movement permits and access to official markets, enhancing transparency and disease tracking.
This reform follows significant FMD outbreaks between 2023 and mid-2024, which resulted in lengthy quarantines and economic hardship for many in the cattle corridor. With livestock exports, including substantial dairy earnings, being vital to Uganda’s economy, enhanced disease control is deemed essential for maintaining productivity and expanding market access.
Source: The Observer (Uganda)