The Government of Uganda has launched a decisive initiative to protect the country’s livestock sector. And the millions of households that depend on it. The Minister of State for Animal Industry, Hon. Bright Rwamirama, has officially kicked off a nationwide Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination campaign under a cost-recovery scheme and farmer onboarding exercise held in Kampala.
This marks a significant policy shift from occasional, small-scale free vaccination drives to a systematic, bi-annual national vaccination programme. The initiative is designed to strengthen Uganda’s animal health systems. Ensure consistent vaccine availability and minimize the economic disruptions caused by recurrent FMD outbreaks.
The Cost-Recovery Mechanism: Building a Sustainable Vaccination Model.
Unlike previous donor-supported or free vaccination programmes, this programme introduces a cost-recovery approach, in which livestock farmers contribute to vaccine costs. This system is meant to ensure long-term sustainability and accountability in vaccine procurement and distribution.
Farmers will make payments through formal financial channels, ensuring transparency and effective coordination between districts, banks, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF).
Farmer Onboarding: How the System Works.
To participate, each livestock farmer must register once through their District Veterinary Officer (DVO), in collaboration with Pearl Bank (formerly PostBank Uganda) or Housing Finance Bank.
During registration, farmers will provide:
- Basic personal and farm details
- Location of their farm
- The number of animals owned
Once registered, each farmer will receive a Unique Farmer Identifier (UFI), a digital identity used to track vaccine payments and vaccination records.
Farmers can choose their preferred payment method:
- Official mobile money transactions
- Direct bank deposits
- Agent banking
After payment, farmers will receive a receipt or an SMS with a unique payment reference, which they must show to the vaccination team before the animals are vaccinated. No vaccination will occur without proof of payment.
Each vaccination session will be documented appropriately, including vaccine batch numbers, the number of animals vaccinated, and the issuance of vaccination certificates. As the program progresses, proof of vaccination will become a mandatory requirement for animal movement within and outside districts.
A Fully Integrated Digital System
The new digital system will integrate:
- Vaccine payments
- Inventory management
- Cold chain tracking
- Field administration
System-generated notifications will keep MAAIF stores, districts, banks, and the Bank of Uganda synchronized in real time. Additionally, district dashboards will enable veterinary officials to forecast vaccine demand and track daily reconciliations of doses administered versus payments received.
Why This Matters: Protecting a Vital Sector
Uganda’s livestock sector is a vast home to approximately:
- 15.5 million cattle
- 17.4 million goats
- 4.4 million sheep
- 7.1 million pigs
That’s about 44.5 million animals vulnerable to Foot-and-Mouth Disease. The disease not only causes production losses but also restricts animal movements, limits market access, and reduces income for farming households.
By institutionalising regular vaccination and linking it to a transparent payment and data system, the government aims to curb recurrent outbreaks, boost livestock productivity, and open new market opportunities for Ugandan farmers.
The Bigger Picture.
The nationwide FMD vaccination campaign is more than a disease-control measure. It represents a bold step toward a resilient, self-sustaining livestock industry. By empowering farmers to take ownership through the cost-recovery model and embracing digital systems for traceability, Uganda is setting a new benchmark for animal health management in the region.
About The Author
English 