Uganda makes cattle vaccination mandatory
The Ugandan government has unveiled a major change in how it will fight Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), introducing compulsory vaccination for livestock every six months under a new cost-sharing arrangement aimed at preventing recurring outbreaks and protecting farmers’ incomes. Speaking at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, State Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and […] The post Uganda makes cattle vaccination mandatory appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.
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The Ugandan government has unveiled a major change in how it will fight Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), introducing compulsory vaccination for livestock every six months under a new cost-sharing arrangement aimed at preventing recurring outbreaks and protecting farmers’ incomes.
Speaking at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, State Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Bright Rwamirama Kanyontore said the success of the programme will depend on cooperation from 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,” Rwamirama said.
Foot and Mouth Disease is a highly contagious viral infection that affects cattle, goats, sheep and pigs. Although it rarely kills adult animals, it can slash milk production, reduce productivity and force authorities to impose quarantines that shut down livestock markets and disrupt trade.
Under the new policy, all susceptible animals must be vaccinated every six months. Farmers will contribute Shs 8,000 per dose for cattle and pigs and Shs 4,000 for goats and sheep, while government will continue to finance vaccine procurement, storage, distribution and disease surveillance.
Officials say the approach is intended to create a sustainable funding model after previous government-funded campaigns failed to vaccinate enough animals to achieve herd immunity.
“The Government carefully reviewed available options and concluded that sustainable control requires predictable financing and full participation of farmers,” Rwamirama said.
Implementation has already begun. By June 12, 2026, more than 20,000 farmers had been registered and about 3.5 million animals enrolled in the national vaccination database across districts in the cattle corridor and other livestock-producing areas.
Government has also secured 53.6 million doses of quadrivalent vaccines targeting the four dominant FMD strains circulating in the region and expanded storage facilities, including 53 solar-powered district vaccine centres.
A new digital platform will manage farmer registration, payments and vaccination records. Each livestock keeper will receive a Unique Farmer Identifier, while only vaccinated animals will qualify for official movement permits and access to formal livestock markets.
Officials believe the system will improve transparency, reduce fraud and make it easier to track disease control efforts nationwide. The reforms follow widespread outbreaks between 2023 and mid-2024 that triggered prolonged quarantines and hit household incomes across the cattle corridor.
With livestock exports contributing significantly to Uganda’s economy, including about US$285 million in dairy exports in 2024, authorities say stronger disease control is essential to maintaining productivity and expanding access to regional and international markets.
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