Economic effects of foot and mouth disease outbreaks along the cattle marketing chain in Uganda.

Sylvia Angubua Baluka

doi:10.14202/vetworld.2016.544-553

Abstract

Aim:Disease outbreaks increase the cost of animal production; reduce milk and beef yield, cattle sales, farmers’ incomes, and enterprise profitability. The study assessed the economic effects of foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks along the cattle marketing chain in selected study districts in Uganda.Materials and Methods:The study combined qualitative and quantitative study designs. Respondents were selected proportionally using simple random sampling from the sampling frame comprising of 224, 173, 291, and 185 farmers for Nakasongola, Nakaseke, Isingiro, and Rakai, respectively. Key informants were selected purposively. Data analysis combined descriptive, modeling, and regression analysis. Data on the socio-economic characteristics and how they influenced FMD outbreaks, cattle markets revenue losses, and the economic cost of the outbreaks were analyzed using descriptive measures including percentages, means, and frequencies.Results:Farmers with small and medium herds incurred higher control costs, whereas large herds experienced the highest milk losses. Total income earned by the actors per month at the processing level reduced by 23%. In Isingiro, bulls and cows were salvage sold at 83% and 88% less market value, i.e., a loss of $196.1 and $1,552.9 in small and medium herds, respectively.Conclusion:All actors along the cattle marketing chain incur losses during FMD outbreaks, but smallholder farmers are most affected. Control and prevention of FMD should remain the responsibility of the government if Uganda is to achieve a disease-free status that is a prerequisite for free movement and operation of cattle markets throughout the year which will boost cattle marketing.

Highlights

Uganda’s well-being is inextricably tied to livestock with 70% of households owning cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, or chicken
Control and prevention of foot and mouth disease (FMD) should remain the responsibility of the government if Uganda is to achieve a disease-free status that is a prerequisite for free movement and operation of cattle markets throughout the year which will boost cattle marketing
Milk yield loss during FMD outbreaks affected households in all the study districts, and it resulted into loss of income from milk and live cattle sales (Table-7)

Summary

Introduction

Uganda’s well-being is inextricably tied to livestock with 70% of households owning cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, or chicken. About 22% and 60% of households nationally and in the cattle corridor, respectively, derive their livelihood from livestock [1,2]. Animal diseases are a major constraint to livestock production and trade in Uganda [3]. The presence of infectious diseases such as foot and mouth disease (FMD) limits Uganda’s ability to access major export markets, and her performance in the global export trade in livestock and livestock products is negligible due to FMD [4]. Livestock diseases impose heavy costs on farmers and reduce incentives to invest in higher yielding cross breeds or exotic animals that are more susceptible to tropical diseases [2]

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Discussion

Conclusion