FAO Donates $1 Million Worth of Livestock Vaccines to Uganda to Reduce the Spread of Transboundary and Zoonotic Diseases
Ongoing anticipatory response to livestock diseases in Karamoja and Elgon sub-regions
Kampala, Uganda –The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has donated an assortment of vaccines worth $1 million to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF) for the implementation of a vaccination campaign as anticipatory and response action to help reduce the spread of priority transboundary diseases and zoonoses in targeted areas of Karamoja, and the Elgon regions.
The vaccines provided include 140,000 doses of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) vaccines, 110,000 doses of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), 300,000 doses of Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP) ,200,000 doses of Sheep and Goat pox (SGPox) 400,000 doses of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), and 183,000 doses of anthrax & black quarter combined vaccines.
The handover of the vaccines and related essential resources, including equipment, animal drugs, and laboratory reagents, are vital components in the ongoing efforts to combat transboundary animal diseases through the ongoing 3-month vaccination exercise.
This effort is part of three projects:
- EU Funded "Strengthening Shock-Responsive Systems in Karamoja (PRO-ACT) project, aimed at increasing the resilience of chronic and acute food insecure households in Karamoja by strengthening existing early warning systems and capacities of national and local actors to anticipate, reduce and respond early to shocks.
- The Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities [SFERA] project – funded by the government of Germany, focused on emergency response to FMD outbreaks in the Karamoja sub-region.
- And FAO's Emergency Technical Cooperation Project on response to anthrax outbreaks in Mt Elgon region.
Through the three projects, support is provided to the government to design and implement anticipatory and risk-based actions based on timely and accurate early warning information. Detecting livestock disease hazards, early warning and anticipatory and response action systems are crucial for prevention, with the potential to reduce the impact of anticipated outbreaks of pests and diseases to promote livelihood resilience.
The donated vaccines will be used for an anticipatory action in Karamoja, informed by early warning information, to protect livestock against FMD, CBPP, CCCP, SGP, and PPR. At the same time, anthrax vaccination in Mt. Elgon is an emergency response to outbreaks in the region.
These diseases can devastate livestock production value chains and livelihoods, and some can pose a risk to human health, especially in Karamoja, where more than 70% of households depend on livestock. This makes it crucial to detect outbreaks of pests and diseases in time, to enable acting in time to mitigate the impact on lives and livelihoods.
These diseases against which the vaccines are provided to control are majorly of transboundary in nature and have the potential to restrict livestock and livestock products from accessing lucrative export markets, thereby undermining farmers' incomes.
"FAO is committed to supporting Uganda in its efforts to control these diseases," said Antonio Querido, FAO Representative in Uganda, at the handover ceremony held at the National Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Centre (NADDEC).
"The donation of these vaccines is a concrete example of our commitment, and we are confident that it will significantly improve animal health and welfare in the targeted regions where a significant percentage of households depend heavily on livestock."
Dr Antonio said that FAO believes that vaccines and vaccination are proactive measures that should be applied before disease outbreaks and will continue to support government efforts to implement anticipatory actions such as vaccination based on early warning information.
The donated vaccines will be administered to animals in both Karamoja and Mount Elgon region, collaborating with MAAIF, and District Local Government (DLGs)s. FAO will also provide technical support to ensure the vaccines are administered effectively and diseases burdens impacted by these diseases on livestock value chains and human health are significantly minimised.
"We are grateful to FAO for this generous donation of vaccines," said Hon. Bright Rwamirama, Minister of State for Animal Industry in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. "These vaccines will help us protect our livestock from deadly diseases and improve our farmers' livelihoods, which, in turn, will boost food security, improve market access, and the economic well-being derived from livestock farming."
The ongoing livestock vaccination is part of FAO's broader support to Uganda's livestock sector. Beyond the support in implementing targeted anticipatory and response actions, FAO is working with MAAIF and other partners to improve animal health and welfare through supporting livestock disease surveillance to generate early warning information on livestock diseases, supporting the adoption of sustainable livestock management climate-smart practices, among others, all aimed at increasing livestock production and productivity.
The livestock industry in Uganda plays a crucial role in household nutrition and income levels. It also significantly contributes to the country's agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP), accounting for 6.5%. Unfortunately, the industry is hindered by diseases and pests, which threaten the livelihoods of individuals who depend on livestock. This results in a decrease in the availability of meat, milk, and wool, and it directly impacts the safety of foods of animal origin, food security and domestic trade.
Hon. Rwamirama noted that the continued threat of animal diseases impedes the growth and competitiveness of the country's livestock industry and affects the export value of select agricultural commodities, including milk and beef, derived from livestock.
Media Contact:
Agatha Ayebazibwe
Communications Officer
FAO Representation in Uganda