Housing Finance Bank supports MAAIF livestock vaccination campaign through accessible payment solutions

What the report says

Housing Finance Bank said on Aug. 7 that it is supporting Uganda’s livestock vaccination drive led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) through payment options intended to make it easier for farmers to take part. The initiative is aimed at reducing animal disease, protecting livestock-based incomes and strengthening the broader agricultural value chain.

According to The Independent Uganda, the vaccination campaign is under way in Kitgum, Pader and Gulu districts, where it has reached tens of thousands of farmers and vaccinated more than 662,000 animals so far. The report says the program is helping farmers limit losses from disease outbreaks, which can affect productivity and household earnings in a sector that remains important to many Ugandan families.

The bank’s HFB VacciPay system allows farmers to register at MAAIF district offices, Housing Finance Bank branches or through agents, and to pay using a USSD code or agent-based digital tools. The bank said the goal is to reduce access and affordability barriers that can delay vaccinations. Its acting head of business and institutional banking, Joel Mastiko, argued that prevention is generally less costly than responding to outbreaks.

The vaccination effort is expected to expand to more districts in the West Nile region in mid-August. More broadly, the partnership reflects a growing role for financial service providers in supporting agricultural services and financial inclusion in Uganda.