Source: APO
Livestock farmers will be counting an extra saving after a factory to locally manufacture the foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccine begins operations.
According to the Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, the factory, a partnership between the governments of Uganda and Egypt, will bring down the cost incurred by farmers to vaccinate their animals.
“With the foot and mouth vaccines that we have in stock, we are vaccinating the four-hoofed animals. Cows are vaccinated at Shs8,000 and goats at Shs4,000. But when the factory is here, the price will drop substantially.
We are in high gear and have just signed the partnership,” said Tumwebaze, without detailing timelines.
The minister made the revelation in response to concerns raised by Hon. Richard Ongorok (NRM, Usuk County) during the plenary sitting on Thursday, 20 August 2026, about the cost recovery scheme in line with the FMD vaccination programme.
Ongorok observed that the public, especially animal herders, have not been adequately educated on the policy guiding payment for the FMD vaccine.
Tumwebaze clarified that the policy guides farmers to pay online for the vaccine, noting that cases of indisciplined veterinary officers asking for cash payments have been reported to relevant authorities, for action.
“We will intensify the announcements in all local languages, to ensure that everybody who has animals that require vaccination, understands how they can acquire the vaccine,” he noted.
The minister also gave guidance to the House that government can no longer offer free maize and coffee seedlings to farmers, noting that they are now required to apply for funding under the Parish Development Model (PDM) to buy the seedlings.
He said this in response to a matter raised by Hon. Patrick Musinguzi (NRM, Kashari North County) during the sitting chaired by Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth.
Musinguzi said he had received overwhelming requests for seedlings from his constituents.
“During the State-of-the-Nation Address, the President directed us to awaken our people to effectively utilise the PDM and go into the money economy. As I speak, I need 941 coffee seedlings to support my people who are asking for them,” Musinguzi said.
The minister noted that the policy shifted government’s central procurement of seedlings through NAADS and distribution by MPs through registered cooperatives, to putting the funding under the framework of PDM.
“This is a substantial chunk of money that was sent to the parishes, but the coffee seedling issue seems not to fit well within PDM. The ministry does not have money for seedlings this season, but we will get guidance from the President and Cabinet on how we can handle it,” Tumwebaze said.
The Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, urged Members of Parliament to monitor the effectiveness of all government funded programmes, including Emyooga and the Grow Project.
“PDM is doing very well, despite a few challenges which we must identify and resolve. We also have the Emyooga and Grow projects. When we go to our respective communities, we need to audit how many people have received funds and address challenges of repayment. Our people must learn that these are revolving funds,” Nabbanja said.
She also called upon Legislators representing constituencies in Lango, Teso and Acholi sub-regions to follow-up the Shs5 million per household under the restocking programme, to ensure it reaches the intended beneficiaries.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.