Lira, Uganda | Uganda loses an estimated UGX 2.5 to 3.8 trillion annually due to tick infestations and tick-borne diseases, severely impacting livestock productivity, the agricultural economy, and rural livelihoods.
In response, scientists at the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) have invented NAROVAC®, a locally developed anti-tick vaccine, to mitigate these recurring losses.
The vaccine is built around Subolesin, a molecule that naturally exists in insects and disrupts tick digestion and reproduction, ultimately stopping their life cycle.
It is the first of its kind to be developed and commercialised in Africa for local tick species.
During a media training session on Wednesday, 23 July 2025, at Gracious Palace Hotel in Lira City, Dr. Fredrick Kabi, the Principal Investigator and Senior Research Officer at NARO, explained that the vaccine is more sustainable than conventional acaricides, as it remains longer in the animal’s system and poses less environmental risk.
He noted that the vaccine’s development followed a 2017 directive from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to provide a sustainable solution for tick control.
Safety trials conducted between October 2022 and April 2024 showed no significant physiological changes or abnormalities in vaccinated animals, including the spleen, brain, kidney, liver, and in milk or meat intended for human consumption.
Dr. Kabi stated that NARO currently has the capacity to produce 300,000 doses per month under Good Laboratory Practices.
Plans are in place to expand this to 2 million doses monthly through cleanroom industrial production, meeting current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) standards.
He added that a draft commercialisation strategy has already been prepared, with stakeholder consultations underway.
He credited Makerere University, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Finance for their collaboration in supporting the vaccine’s development.
Following the presentation, journalists toured Ngetta Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (ZARDI), one of NARO’s 16 zonal institutes, covering 17 districts in the Lango and Acholi sub-regions.
Joe Erem, Development Communication Officer at Ngetta ZARDI, pointed out that the institute faced a number of challenges, including insufficient government funding, limited public access to agricultural information, and waning interest in farming.
He said the institute would soon begin rewarding high-performing male and female farmers to boost enthusiasm for agriculture and livestock keeping.
Ngetta ZARDI was established in the 1930s as a cotton research station and evolved through multiple phases until it was integrated into NARO in 1999.
By 2005, it had been upgraded into a full-fledged zonal agricultural research institute under the NAR Act.
Frank Mugabi, NARO’s Senior Communications Officer, urged farmers to make use of the institute’s seed testing services.
He said the service plays a vital role in helping farmers assess seed viability before the planting season, reducing risks and promoting productivity.
Mugabi explained that although the testing cost is minimal, it could save farmers millions by preventing failed harvests.
He further noted that test results are usually ready within 4 to 14 days, and the service is open to both smallholders and commercial farmers.
He emphasized that the initiative aligns with the government’s broader goal of transforming agriculture into a commercially viable sector.
NARO has developed more than 1,124 agricultural innovations over the past 33 years.
Among these, the NAROVAC® vaccine stands out as a transformative intervention capable of revitalising Uganda’s livestock sector, reducing dependence on acaricides, and contributing to food security through science-driven solutions.