The agriculture ministry is to engage local governments with livestock markets, to agree on measures that will be used to control and manage livestock diseases.
Agriculture minister Frank Tumwebaze made the revelation while presenting Cabinet decisions before Parliament about the outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) that has so far been detected in 36 districts, now under quarantine.
According to Tumwebaze, during cattle days, for example, at Kamwema Cattle Market in the Isingiro district, farmers bring in animals from different places, whether sick or healthy of which sick animals are rejected by the buyers and taken back home and end up mixing with others, and spread diseases.
His revelation was informed by concerns from Members of Parliament who demanded long-term solutions to the management of livestock diseases including those fuelled by ticks.
He also told Parliament that the Cabinet has so far approved the purchase of 10 million doses of FMD vaccines to vaccinate animals in the affected districts adding that priority will be border districts, which include Isingiro neighbouring Tanzania, districts neighboring Kenya, South Sudan, and those with the highest population of affected heads of cattle.
Nathan Byanyima (Bukanga North County) demanded both short-term and long-term solutions to the management of livestock disease and an increase in the surveillance of border markets.
