President Yoweri Museveni has today commissioned the Anti-Tick Vaccine Production Plant at Nakyesasa and officially launched NAROVAC, a locally developed vaccine hailed as a major milestone in Uganda’s veterinary science and agricultural innovation.
Developed after 13 years of intensive research, NAROVAC targets tick-borne diseases that continue to heavily impact livestock production across Uganda.
Authorities estimate that tick infestations and related diseases cost the livestock sector over $1 billion annually, burdening farmers with reduced productivity and high expenditure on chemical treatments.
The vaccine was developed at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute in Namulonge by scientists under the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), in collaboration with Spanish partners. It works by targeting key tick proteins, including those of the brown ear and blue tick, disrupting their feeding and reproduction through antibodies generated in vaccinated cattle.
Field trials reportedly showed effectiveness rates between 75% and 99%, while also significantly reducing the need for chemical sprays from about 104 applications annually to just 12 without any recorded losses among trial animals.
Designed with Uganda’s smallholder farmers in mind, who manage an estimated 15 million cattle, NAROVAC is projected to save the sector more than $1.1 billion annually while reducing chemical usage and improving herd health.
Officials say the breakthrough positions Uganda as an emerging leader in homegrown scientific solutions for animal health and long-term agricultural resilience.