The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has intensified its nationwide farmer sensitisation campaign on Foot and Mouth Disease ahead of the July vaccination exercise.
On Wednesday, MAAIF held a stakeholder engagement in Buikwe District to step up nationwide sensitization ahead of the July-August 2026 national vaccination exercise.
Assistant Commissioner for Animal Production Dr. Alex Mukasa and National FMD Coordinator Dr. Ben Ssenkeera led the meeting with farmers, local leaders, and veterinary teams. The focus: practical control measures and the rollout of the FMD Cost Recovery Scheme.
‘FMD remains one of the most economically damaging livestock diseases in Uganda, affecting cattle, goats, sheep and pigs,’ Dr. Mukasa said. He noted it continues to hurt productivity, block animal trade, cut incomes, and weaken Uganda’s edge in regional markets.
The Ministry is urging farmers to act early. ‘Government has invested heavily in vaccine procurement, cold chain infrastructure, distribution systems and veterinary service delivery,’ Dr. Mukasa said. He called on farmers to embrace vaccination, biosecurity, and quick reporting of suspected cases.
Under the Cost Recovery Scheme, farmers will pay a modest fee while government covers the rest.
‘Government will continue to finance vaccine storage, transportation, cold chain management, supervision, monitoring and administration of vaccines, while farmers make a modest contribution toward the cost of the vaccine itself,’ Dr. Ssenkeera explained.
Cost to farmers: Shs 8,000 per dose for cattle and pigs, and Shs 4,000 per dose for goats and sheep.
Dr. Ssenkeera said vaccination is more than disease control. ‘Vaccinated animals are healthier, more productive and less likely to suffer severe production losses associated with FMD outbreaks, including reduced milk production, weight loss, infertility, poor growth rates and mortality among young stock,’ he said.
Farmers were also briefed on a new national livestock database. ‘The database will support disease surveillance, vaccination planning and traceability, and vaccination certificates will serve as proof for animal movement and trade,’ Dr. Ssenkeera said.
Buikwe participants welcomed the plan and asked about procedures, payments, movement rules, and local government’s role. Ministry officials said support structures are in place for smooth implementation.