An anti-tick vaccine developed by the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) is ready and set for field trials, officials have said.
NARO developed vaccines that will help tackle three tick species including brown ear tick, bont tick and blue tick, all common in East and Central Africa but also diseases like East Coast Fever, anaplasmosis and Babesiosis sometimes known as Redwater.
Speaking during a visit to the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) in Nakyesasa, Wakiso district by Agriculture minister, Frank Tumwebaze and his state counterpart, Fred Bwino Kyakulaga on Friday, NARO Director General, Dr.Ambrose Agona said every is set for the field trials to go on.
“We are soon going to launch the anti-tick vaccine. It is ready and within the country. We have 2500 doses ready to be launched(undergo field trials) in Mbarara, MUZARDI(Mukono), Kiburara government prison farm( in Kabarole district), in Isimba prison in Hoima, in Maruzi(Apac) and in Nabilatuk,”Dr. Agona said.
He explained that the country has 14.2 million heads of cattle but noted that despite this number, the quality is down.
The Agriculture Minister, Frank Tumwebaze welcomed the development as a big milestone in the agricultural sector not only in the country but in the world at large.
“The final field trial for the anti-tick vaccine is good news for farmers in fighting ticks and tick borne diseases. I want to assure you this is an achievement that I can’t celebrate alone but will ask the entire cabinet led by the president to come along,” Tumbwebaze said.
The agriculture minister said that in a bid to spread the news of the new development, there should be a launch of the field trial of the new anti-tick vaccine in every sub-region of the country.
“The scientists have told me that their trials have proved 88% of efficacy. It is good news to farmers. We should give all the support needed to the scientists and NARO to ensure this comes through.”
According to Tumwebaze , by successfully developing the anti-tick vaccine, scientists and NARO will be guaranteed more support from President Museveni who has for several years been emphasizing scientists’ support to help solve the country’s problems.
“If he has been supporting scientists on only the promise of coming up with the vaccine, what about now when you have the real meat? NARO will now have more ground for support. This time I will be talking with pride. Your case will now be an easy one to sale.”
The vaccine
According to Dr.Swidiq Mugerwa, the director of research at NaLIRRI, said the vaccine will save a lot money that the country has for years been losing in dealing with ticks and tick borne diseases in livestock.
“Ticks and tick borne diseases cause an economic loss of shs3.8 trillion annually to the country. The anti-tick vaccine will reduce on this loss,” Dr. Mugerwa said.
He explained that the vaccine has gone through the preliminary evaluation stages and has acquired regulatory requirements and will soon be taken through the final field trial.
He said the trial will be done in one year after which NARO will embark on registration of the vaccine and commercialization before rolling it to farmers for use.
“NARO has constructed a massive vaccine research and production facility with capacity to produce over 30 million doses of the anti-tick vaccines annually, enough to vaccinate all the heads of cattle in the country.”
The visit
The minister who was touring the NaLIRRI facility said he was impressed by the work done at the facility in Nakyesesa in Wakiso district since being shifted from Tororo.
He challenged NaLIRRI to start a fully-fledged feed manufacturing facility for poultry, animals and fish feeds as well as making the aflatoxin removing technology and making of biogas and fertilisers from animals waste available for use by farmers.
“Let us have a fully-fledged knowledge transfer centre here where farmers can come, stay overnight and be taught. You can go and benchmark Kyankwanzi to see how you can develop the facility.”
