Kampala: Livestock farmers in Uganda are set to benefit from reduced costs of foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccines as a new local manufacturing factory is slated to begin operations.
According to African Press Organization, the Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, announced that the factory, established through a partnership between the Ugandan and Egyptian governments, aims to significantly reduce the vaccination costs for farmers. Currently, vaccinating cows costs Shs8,000 and goats Shs4,000. However, the minister assured that these prices will drop substantially once the factory is operational.
The announcement came after Hon. Richard Ongorok raised concerns during a parliamentary session about the cost recovery scheme for the FMD vaccination program. Ongorok highlighted the insufficient public education on the policy directing farmers to pay for the vaccine online. Tumwebaze acknowledged the issue, noting reports of unethical behavior by veterinary officers demanding cash payments, and assured that these are being addressed.
In efforts to enhance awareness, Tumwebaze promised to intensify announcements in local languages to ensure that all livestock owners understand the vaccination acquisition process. Additionally, he informed the parliament that the government could no longer provide free maize and coffee seedlings, urging farmers to seek funding under the Parish Development Model (PDM) instead.
Hon. Patrick Musinguzi had earlier raised concerns about the overwhelming demand for seedlings from his constituents. Tumwebaze clarified that the government's policy had shifted from centralized procurement to funding under the PDM framework, which reallocates financial resources to parishes.
The Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, emphasized the need for MPs to monitor the success of government-funded programs such as Emyooga and the Grow Project. She encouraged legislators to ensure that funds reach the intended beneficiaries and to address repayment challenges, stressing the importance of these revolving funds in community development.
Nabbanja also urged MPs from Lango, Teso, and Acholi sub-regions to oversee the distribution of Shs5 million per household under the restocking program to guarantee its proper implementation and benefit to the targeted communities.