The Government of Uganda has announced a new policy shift in the control and management of foot-and-mouth disease, introducing a cost-sharing vaccination program aimed at ensuring sustainable disease control across the country.

The Ministry of State for Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries Hon. Bright Rwamirama announced this on the 14th at the media center.

The new policy was announced by the state minister for agriculture, animal industry, and fisheries, Bright Rwamirama, during a media briefing in Kampala.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, foot-and-mouth disease remains one of the biggest threats to Uganda's livestock sector, affecting cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs and limiting access to local and international markets.

The government says Uganda currently has about 15.5 million cattle, 17.4 million goats, 4.4 million sheep, and 7.3 million pigs, all of which are susceptible to the disease.

Authorities say previous efforts that relied on free vaccination campaigns were often disrupted by inadequate vaccine supplies and funding challenges.

Under the new arrangement, farmers will contribute eight thousand shillings per dose for cattle and pigs, and four thousand shillings per dose for goats and sheep.

The government will cover the costs of vaccine administration, transportation, cold-chain management, supervision, and disease surveillance.

The Ministry has already secured more than fifty-three million doses of high-potency vaccines and expanded vaccine storage and distribution infrastructure across the country.

As of June 12, more than twenty thousand farmers had been enrolled onto the national FMD vaccination system, with approximately 3.5 million susceptible animals registered for vaccination.

The minister, however, acknowledged that some farmers in several districts initially resisted the program. He said the government has deployed teams on the ground to intensify mobilization and sensitization efforts and that the response from farmers continues to improve.

The minister says many farmers are now seeing the benefits of the program and are responding positively. He notes that the relatively small vaccination fee will enable farmers to trade their animals and animal products more freely in both local and international markets.

The first nationwide vaccination campaign under the cost-recovery scheme is scheduled to begin in July and August this year, targeting more than forty-four million susceptible animals across the country.

The government says the program is expected to reduce disease outbreaks, improve livestock productivity, and increase Uganda's access to regional and international livestock markets.