Kampala, Uganda. (December 12, 2023) – In a collaborative effort to combat the impact of ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) in Uganda’s livestock industry, the Managing Animal Health and Acaricides for a Better Africa (MAHABA) Initiative, along with key stakeholders, convened on December 6th and 7th to prioritize key areas for tick control, as an estimated $1.1 billion of losses is attributed to ticks and tick-borne diseases in Uganda annually¹. The stakeholders, including veterinarians, extension staff, farmers, processors, and government representatives, identified the following key areas:
• Sensitization and training of field personnel and farmers to enhance their understanding of effective tick control measures.
• Establishment of a multi-stakeholder platform for ongoing engagement and collaboration.
• Strengthening diagnostic infrastructure and capacity to test for tick resistance and other animal health related issues.
• Facilitating access to affordable financing for farmers to acquire tailored acaricide application equipment through credit and saving institutions owned by farmers groups (SACCOS).
• Review of existing policy and implementation of tick and tick control in the country.
During the stakeholder convening, Dr. Anna Rose Ademun, Commissioner Animal Health and Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) in Uganda, emphasized the need for a national-level approach to tick control and the importance of using physical barriers to separate and zone acaricides. She also highlighted the ongoing efforts by Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to support the diagnosis of tick resistance to acaricides at regional laboratory centers.
To support farmers in managing tick infestations, the MAHABA Initiative pre-launched the TickAcademy app during the stakeholder convening. The app, which will be available on Uganda’s Google and Apple stores by the end of January 2024, provides educational content, including easy to understand videos, to empower farmers and extension staff with knowledge on tick control. Materials will also be available in Luganda and Runyakitara which will be added in version 2.0 of the app.
Attendees highlighted the importance of an integrated approach for tick control, which includes extension services driven by farmer cooperatives in alignment with local authorities. They also recognized the significance of policy review and the implementation of measures to tackle tick resistance.
Enrique Hernández Pando, Head of Commercial Development and Impact at GALVmed, emphasized the significance of the MAHABA Initiative in addressing acaricide resistance issues. “The MAHABA initiative will provide local animal health officers and farmers in Uganda with innovative solutions to help address current acaricide resistance issues and create transformational change in the livestock industry,” said Hernández Pando.
The stakeholders agreed that this engagement will be ongoing, with a joint commitment to support farmers in addressing the burden of ticks and tick resistance. Building on Uganda’s National Action Plan for the Management of Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases (NAPM-T&TBD) and working with MAAIF’s guidance, stakeholders agreed that they need to capitalize on current efforts and support MAAIF’s goals, thereby contributing to the growth of Uganda’s livestock sector and livelihoods.
Nishal Gunpath, Country Director South and Sub-Saharan Africa for Elanco Animal Health, expressed the company’s commitment to the MAHABA Initiative and its goal of making a positive impact in the livestock sector. “MAHABA is part of our commitment to a business with a purpose in this emerging farming segment,” said Gunpath. “We aim to meaningfully engage in this market, beyond the product offering, so that small-scale livestock producers can tap into the potential of their livestock.”
The stakeholder convening was facilitated by Emerge Centre for Innovations-Africa.
For more information about the MAHABA Initiative and its efforts in tick control, please contact: sharedvalue@elancoah.com.
¹ FAO. 2020. Response to containment of tick resistance and tick-borne diseases in Uganda. Rome
About ELANCO
Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) is a global leader in animal health dedicated to innovating and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets, creating value for farmers, pet owners, veterinarians, stakeholders, and society as a whole. With nearly 70 years of animal health heritage, we are committed to helping our customers improve the health of animals in their care, while also making a meaningful impact on our local and global communities. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our Elanco Healthy Purpose™ Sustainability Pledges –all to advance the health of animals, people, and the planet.
About GALVmed
GALVmed (Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines) works with partners to make livestock vaccines, medicines and diagnostics accessible and available to millions of smallholder farmers in developing countries who depend on livestock for their livelihood. The international not-for-profit company aims to make a significant contribution towards transformational change in the smallholder livestock health landscape by developing a portfolio of high-impact products and initiating a range of private sector market initiatives operating at scale in the smallholder sector in Africa and South Asia. GALVmed is headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland with regional offices in Nairobi, Kenya and New Delhi, India and funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and UK aid from the UK Government.
Website: www.galvmed.org
ABOUT THE MAHABA INITIATIVE
The MAHABA Initiative is a collaborative effort by Elanco Animal Health and GALVmed to address tick-borne diseases and tick resistance issues in livestock. Through innovative solutions, education, and stakeholder engagement, the MAHABA Initiative aims to support small-scale livestock producers and transform the livestock industry. MAHABA is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. For more information visit Africa Initiatives – GALVmed.
News cover photo: Ankole cows grazing, Mbarara, Uganda © ILRI