Uganda’s Minister of Agriculture, Francis Tumwebaze, announced a new policy aimed at curbing the spread of foot‑and‑mouth disease (FMD) among livestock. Effective immediately, the government will subsidise the cost of vaccine administration, meaning that farmers will only be required to pay for the actual vaccine doses. The move follows a series of outbreaks that devastated herds in the central and western regions, costing farmers millions in lost productivity. “Our goal is to remove financial barriers that prevent smallholder farmers from protecting their animals,” Tumwebaze said at a press briefing in Kampala. The Ministry plans to distribute the subsidised vaccines through extension officers and veterinary clinics nationwide, with an estimated reach of 1.2 million cattle by the end of the year.
On top of everything as it happens