Strengthening Livestock Health Systems in Africa: ZiP's Field Validation Work in Uganda

Collecting samples for ZiP-P2 testing from Uganda's culturally and economically important and distinctive Ankole cows.

Field Deployment in Uganda

ZiP Diagnostics was recently in Uganda conducting field validation of our rapid molecular tests for four high-impact livestock diseases affecting food security across the region: 

• Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD)

• Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV)

• African Swine Fever (ASF)

• Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV)

Our Mission This Week

ZiP-P2 animal tests in action in the field.

Working alongside Uganda’s National Agriculture Research Organisation  (NARO), National Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Centre (NADDEC), Makerere University, and in collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), we are evaluating the ZiP-P2 platform in real-world settings to enable faster, high-quality molecular detection at the point of need.

Across many parts of Africa, livestock production underpins national economies, regional trade and household livelihoods. 

Disease surveillance systems are advancing rapidly - but geography, farm distribution, and laboratory access can make timely diagnosis challenging, particularly in rural and cross-border settings.

When outbreaks occur, speed matters.

The Stakes are High

• Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus: FMD is estimated to cost African economies more than USD $3 billion annually in productivity losses and trade restrictions

• Lumpy Skin Disease Virus: LSDV outbreaks can kill up to 20% of affected cattle herds, causing long-term production losses

• African Swine Fever Virus: with a mortality rate of around 80%, ASF has severely reduced pig populations across sub-Saharan Africa

• Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus: BVDV impacts fertility, growth rates, and milk yield, often without obvious early signs, leading to significant losses for farms

  
  

Outbreaks of emergency animal diseases remain a persistent and destabilising risk to Uganda’s livestock industry and the communities that depend on it. 

Animal diseases remain a key threat to the food security and agricultural industry of Uganda. Timely and accurate testing for disease is key to controlling the spread.

With herds dispersed across rural districts and animals frequently moving through informal trade networks and grazing corridors, infections can circulate quickly before formal confirmation is obtained.

Uganda’s livestock sector supports over 1.7 million households. 

The work we’re doing this week isn’t just about technology - expanding access to timely diagnostics strengthens animal health, protects livelihoods, and contributes to long-term agricultural resilience and food security.

We’re thrilled to see our P2 tests operating successfully in regional field settings, where rapid diagnosis is critical.

At ZiP, we recognise that meaningful progress is built on strong international collaboration - bringing together diverse perspectives and global expertise allows us to create solutions that are more robust and widely applicable.

This deployment demonstrated not only the analytical performance of the platform, but also its practicality: intuitive workflows, minimal infrastructure requirements, and true suitability for real-world agricultural conditions.

We are grateful to our partners in Uganda for making us welcome here, for their expertise and knowledge, and for their shared dedication to strengthening animal health systems.

Complex challenges require collective work, and in an increasingly interconnected world, collaboration is an instrumental tool in addressing modern disease threats.

A herd of Ankole cows in Uganda, showcasing their distinctively large horns.