Unpacking productivity gains: evaluating the impact of tick control and restructuring the national agricultural advisory program for ugandan cattle farmers

Abstract Several studies in the literature have demonstrated the epidemiological and economic impacts of ticks on livestock, resulting in productivity and financial losses. However, limited empirical evidence is available on the impact of adopting tick control strategies. We address this gap by analyzing the effects of tick control on cattle productivity in Uganda, using panel data from 2015 to 2018. Our empirical strategy used both difference-in-differences and fixed effects to reduce omitted-variable bias. Beyond estimating average impacts, we leveraged this framework to test for heterogeneous effects, examining how tick control differentially influenced milk production and herd size. Our findings suggest that tick control enhances milk production but does not affect herd size. Disaggregating the data by farm size reveals that larger landholders reaped significantly greater benefits from tick control than their smaller counterparts. This disparity was especially pronounced during the period when the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) contracted veterinary service providers. Overall, implementing effective tick control strategies presents a promising avenue for sustainable livestock development in Uganda, particularly when supported by well-structured extension services.