AMOLATAR, June 17, 2026 — Amolatar district has launched a livestock vaccination campaign targeting more than 60,000 cattle and 120,000 goats and sheep in an effort to curb the spread of major animal diseases and strengthen household incomes.
The exercise, launched on Tuesday, follows the delivery of vaccines against the contagious Lumpy Skin Disease [LSD] in cattle and Peste des Petits Ruminants [PPR] in goats and sheep by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries [MAAIF].
Speaking during the launch in Agwiri Sub-county, the Amolatar District Chairperson, Morish Ogwal Omara, thanked MAAIF for responding to the district’s request for vaccines.
He said the vaccination campaign would help contain the spread of LSD and PPR, which have affected livestock production across the district.
“I want to encourage our farmers to treat farming as a business and prioritise the health of their animals in order to improve productivity and household incomes,” Ogwal Omara said.
“I also urge farmers not to rely solely on livestock production but to venture into other income-generating activities such as crop farming and poultry keeping to diversify their sources of income.”
He pledged continued support for government programmes aimed at improving household incomes and strengthening economic resilience among communities.
The District Chief Administrative Officer, Rodha Oroma, urged farmers to take advantage of the free vaccination programme.
“The government is investing substantial resources in the fight against household poverty through the promotion of commercial agriculture. Farmers should seize this opportunity and embrace poverty alleviation programmes to improve their livelihoods,” she said.
Restrictions Planned for Unvaccinated Animals
The District Veterinary Officer, Dr Peter Olum, said MAAIF had delivered an initial batch of 25,000 doses of the Lumpy Skin Disease vaccine, adding that additional supplies are expected to ensure full coverage of the district’s cattle population.
Olum urged farmers to vaccinate their animals, warning that authorities would impose restrictions on the sale and transportation of unvaccinated animals outside the district once the exercise is completed.
Farmers who turned up with their animals welcomed the government’s support in providing free vaccines against LSD.
However, they appealed to the government to subsidise vaccines for other livestock diseases, particularly foot-and-mouth disease, whose vaccination currently costs Shs 8,000 per cow and Shs 4,000 per goat or sheep.
According to the Ugandan Bureau of Statistics, Amolatar district has roughly 14,280 cattle-keeping households, with the herd being predominantly indigenous
https://thecooperator.news/mass-livestock-vaccination-drive-targets-deadly-diseases-in-karamoja/
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