Govt moves to ensure safe meat on market

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The ministries of agriculture, water and health have teamed up to ensure safe and clean beef products come to the market. They will be backed up by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards, among other agencies.

Getting rid of unsafe beef from the market is one of the food safety initiatives the Government wants to undertake through upgrading and equipping abattoirs and slaughterhouses with modern equipment for safe meat handling.

A statement from the agriculture ministry issued on Monday, June 2, 2025, says, "This co-operation is designed to prevent food-borne diseases and zoonoses, which are transmissible between animals and humans by mandating that all meat slaughter facilities, both public and private, meet the public health standards issued by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards".  

The measures, according to the ministry, will also minimise environmental pollution through proper waste management and ensure the humane treatment of animals destined for slaughter.

Some of the standards to be enforced under this initiative are the enforcement of nationally established standards, including the design and operational requirements for abattoirs and hygienic standards for butcheries, among other targeted measures.

Other measures are issuing comprehensive guidelines for the establishment of meat slaughter and handling facilities that specify strict health and safety standards; distributing over 1,200 meat inspection kits to all sub-counties across the country; periodically retooling meat inspectors with modern, risk-based meat inspection skills.

Developing specialised meat transportation vessels, mounted on motorcycles, to ensure hygienic handling and transport of meat—a project supported by the EU-MOBIP initiative, among others.