The national government has stepped up the nationwide rollout of the Animal Identification and Traceability (ANITRAC) system for the country’s livestock sector.
The ANITRAC system is a digital platform and legal framework launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to modernize the country’s livestock sector.
The new initiative aims to improve animal traceability, combat disease outbreaks, and boost market access.
Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Agriculture and Livestock Development Mutahi Kagwe is spearheading the national effort to digitize and centralize animal identification.
Kagwe says the system seeks to curb cattle rustling, improve financial access and streamline disease control in the livestock sector.
The CS says the new system will track animal health, monitor disease surveillance and modernize the livestock value chain.
“The new system will digitize the livestock sector, curb cattle rustling, boost meat exports and enhance disease surveillance,” he said.
Kagwe said the new digital system utilizes digital ear tags and tracking technology to monitor livestock from farms through the supply chain.
He was speaking in Kurawa Tana River County during a livestock tagging exercise noting that the nationwide rollout of ANITRAC will continue across all counties as the government accelerates livestock registration, strengthens animal health systems and lays the foundation for expanded market access, increased farmer incomes and a more resilient livestock sector.
He engaged livestock farmers and local leaders on the critical role ANITRAC will play in transforming the livestock sector into a globally competitive industry.
Kagwe said ANITRAC is more than a livestock tagging exercise, it is the foundation of a modern livestock economy where every registered animal receives a unique digital identity that guarantees traceability from source to market.
The CS who was accompanied by Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana, noted that today’s international meat trade is increasingly driven by traceability, with buyers demanding proof of an animal’s origin, movement history and health status before products can access premium export markets.
He urged Tana River farmers to fully cooperate with the ongoing digital registration exercise, saying the national government is taking deliberate steps to unlock lucrative meat markets in Europe, the Middle East and other international destinations.
“The success of the new initiative will depend on our ability to demonstrate credible livestock identification and traceability that meets international market standards,” he said.
The Livestock minister noted that Kenya is home to an estimated 77 million livestock, making the sector one of the country’s most strategic economic pillars.
He said livestock contributes about 12 percent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and approximately 40 percent of the agricultural GDP, while supporting the livelihoods of millions of people particularly in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs).
He emphasized that ANITRAC will strengthen disease surveillance and control, reduce livestock theft, improve food safety, restore consumer confidence and increase the value of Kenyan livestock and livestock products in both local and international markets.
The CS further highlighted that the ANITRAC ear tags and electronic identification chips are manufactured locally, creating jobs, supporting local industries and demonstrating Kenya’s growing capacity to produce world-class agricultural technologies.
He also pointed to the government’s investment in the newly established Kenya Leather Industrial Parks, saying the facilities are central to ensuring that Kenya exports value-added leather products rather than raw hides and skins.
By linking a reliable traceability system with local processing and manufacturing, the country will create more employment opportunities, strengthen local industries and ensure livestock generates greater value for farmers and the national economy.
CS Kagwe said the government’s vision is to transform livestock from a traditional livelihood into a modern commercial enterprise that creates wealth, drives industrialization and positions Kenya as a trusted supplier of safe, traceable and high-quality livestock products.
This milestone reflects Kenya’s commitment to modernizing the livestock sector through digital identification and traceability. By assigning every animal a unique digital identity, ANITRAC strengthens disease surveillance, supports safe livestock movement, improves market access, and creates new opportunities for farmers.
Tana River Chief Officer for Livestock Development Kanchoru Gollo welcomed the ANITRAC rollout, saying the programme will be implemented across the county.
Gollo said the county will work closely with the national government to conduct public sensitization campaigns to ensure pastoral communities understand and embrace the new initiative.
He further announced that the two levels of government will collaborate on mass livestock vaccination campaigns across the county to improve animal health and support successful implementation of the ANITRAC programme.
The CO noted that the system will also help curb cattle rustling and banditry, reduce conflicts over livestock ownership, and enable livestock keepers to use their animals as collateral to access credit from financial institutions.
Gollo said the ANITRAC system uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) electronic ear tags to uniquely identify every animal, to allow authorities to monitor ownership, health records, livestock movement, and also strengthen disease surveillance, food safety and market access.
By Hussein Abdullahi
