Principal Secretary for Livestock Jonathan Mueke has revealed that the government is committed to enhancing the livestock sector in the country through strengthening disease surveillance.
Mueke, while speaking in Nanyuki Town during this year’s Mt Kenya Branch Agricultural Society (ASK) Show, noted that outbreaks of livestock diseases, rangeland degradation and poor market access are some of the obstacles affecting livestock production.
“Climate change continues to present serious challenges in agriculture and livestock production through prolonged drought, emerging diseases, pasture degradation and water scarcity,” said the PS, adding that there was need to focus on climate-smart agriculture and sustainable food production systems.
Among the interventions are nationwide vaccination campaigns and investment in improved genetics through artificial insemination breeding programmes.
An outbreak of livestock diseases such as foot-and-mouth remains a major threat that does not only restrict free livestock movement within rangelands but access to major markets where the PS pledged to promote fodder production and feed resilience to address climate change feed-related shortages.
Further, the PS said that the government would support digitization, innovation and research in the livestock value chain.
“We must embrace technologies and practices that improve productivity while conserving the environment for future generations, including climate-smart feeds, water-harvesting technologies, drought-resilient livestock feeds, pasture reseeding and sustainable land-farming management,” highlighted the PS.
Meanwhile, Laikipia is among the top producers of high-quality beef and mutton for local and export markets, but the outbreak of diseases has continued to adversely affect production.
The current conflict in the Middle East following the US-Israel war on Iran has also affected Kenya’s beef export markets, leading to the loss of millions of shillings by local farmers.
By Muturi Mwangi
