Uganda intensifies war on fake farm inputs, animal diseases
Presenting the ministry’s sector performance report to Parliament, Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze on Wednesday said the ministry was strengthening agricultural police and inspectors to increase surveillance and crack down on unscrupulous dealers.
“You may have also seen a number of operations by MAAIF inspectors in the past targeting vendors of counterfeits in districts and places like Container Village,” the minister said while addressing Parliament on Wednesday, October 21. (New Vision/Files)
KAMPALA - Government is stepping up the fight against counterfeit agricultural inputs and animal diseases, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) strengthening inspections, expanding vaccination programmes and pursuing tougher regulation.
Presenting the ministry’s sector performance report to Parliament, Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze on Wednesday said the ministry was strengthening agricultural police and inspectors to increase surveillance and crack down on unscrupulous dealers.
To strengthen regulation, the government proposes the Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority (FARA), which would oversee food safety and the regulation of agricultural and veterinary inputs.
He said the ministry has operationalised 10 zonal offices to monitor agro-dealers, enforce standards and curb the circulation of fake and substandard seeds, agrochemicals and other farm inputs.
Tumwebaze informed legislators that the enforcement operations have also targeted counterfeit vendors in districts and commercial centres, including Container Village in Kampala, a business centre for agrochemicals and planting materials
Tumwebaze, however, appealed to legislators to expedite the proposed law. “On a bigger front, however, and without sounding speculative, cabinet decided to establish the Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority (FARA), which will have full power and resources to fight against counterfeits and all contaminants in food, agriculture and veterinary inputs.
This bill was presented before this house, and my appeal and request to this house is that the processing and passing of this Bill be given priority,” Tumwebaze said
He also informed the House that the ministry is also implementing a compulsory twice-yearly mass vaccination programme against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), following the procurement of 44.7 million vaccine doses.
According to Tumwebaze, cold-chain facilities have been established in 53 districts, while 80,000 farmers have so far enrolled in the programme
He said a subsidy has already been given and the farmers will only pay Shs 8,000 per dose for cattle and pigs and Shs 4,000 for goats and sheep.
“Government has consistently invested in animal and plant health systems to protect our livestock and crops from diseases and pests that endanger food safety, farmers’ incomes, and trade,” Tumwebaze told Parliament.
In another intervention, the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) has developed the VAROVAC anti-tick vaccine and established a manufacturing facility at Nakyesasa, with an annual production capacity exceeding 60 million doses at full operation. Five million doses are reportedly in stock, although additional funding is needed to support commercial production and rollout.
The ministry has also distributed 13,000 litres of deltamethrin to 41 high-risk districts to control tsetse flies and other biting insects, supporting the spraying of approximately four million cattle.
Meanwhile, NARO’s Aflasafe facility at Namulonge is expected to strengthen food safety by reducing aflatoxin contamination in maize, groundnuts and sorghum. Field evaluations have shown that the product can reduce contamination by more than 90 per cent.
The government is also finalising the operationalisation of four regional animal disease control centres in Kiruhura, Bunyangabu, Nakaseke and Soroti to improve access to veterinary diagnostics and strengthen responses to disease outbreaks.
The interventions aim to protect farmers from counterfeit products, reduce crop and livestock losses, improve food safety, and safeguard agricultural trade and livelihoods.