The Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Grania Nakazibwe, who also serves as Mubende District Woman MP, has revealed that Uganda is nearing a major scientific breakthrough with the development of a locally produced anti-tick vaccine.
Speaking during the defence of the Ministerial Policy Statement for the 2026/2027 financial year before the Budget Committee chaired by Patrick Isiagi Opolot, Nakazibwe said the vaccine has successfully passed all three clinical trial phases. She noted that the final stage recorded efficacy levels above 80 percent, signaling strong potential to transform livestock health management.
Nakazibwe emphasized that Uganda now possesses the necessary infrastructure, scientific expertise, and technical capacity to support the project, following sustained government investment in research and development.
“What we need now is sustained funding to support continuous production,” she said, noting that although Shs40 billion has been allocated, at least Shs108 billion is required to fully operationalize the initiative.
The committee has recommended that government bridges the funding gap to ensure the vaccine is rolled out to farmers nationwide.
According to the legislator, livestock farmers—particularly those rearing cattle and goats—have long struggled with the high costs of tick control, often relying on frequent use of acaricides.
“Some farmers are forced to spray more than once a week, which is very costly. In some cases, the acaricides fail due to misuse, poor storage, or compromised quality,” she explained.
The introduction of the anti-tick vaccine is expected to significantly reduce these costs while improving livestock productivity, especially in Uganda’s cattle corridor regions.
Nakazibwe described the development as a source of national pride and a potential game-changer for the country’s agricultural sector.
