The government is committed to improving livestock breeds in Samburu county to ensure local meat and milk products access the international markets.
Speaking at the Nomotio Livestock Improvement Centre in Maralal town, Livestock Development PS Jonathan Mueke said the government has just concluded the distribution of 2,810 Galana goats through a restocking program aimed at improving goat breeding in Samburu county.
Mueke stated that the government had also secured a market for livestock products in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), marking a major shift in the livestock products export strategy.
The PS noted that the international markets will offer better prices for livestock products and live animals as long as we provide high quality animals through breed improvement and vaccination.
“The subsidised national mass vaccination exercise will soon kick off in Samburu county after sensitising herders through the Food Systems Resilient Project, and I urge you to allow our extension officers to vaccinate your animals,” he urged.
Mueke further noted that perennial cattle rustling in Samburu county greatly affects the livestock market saying that the government had launched the Animal Identification and Traceability System (ANITRAC) that has successfully been tested on government-owned farms and will soon be rolled out across counties to curb cattle theft.
“Every animal will have a tag with a chip, which will provide the information about the owner, breed, weight and vaccination history and this will curb cattle theft. Traceability will also be beneficial to the farmer since buyers can easily identify where the meat came from through the ANITRAC stamp,” the PS added.
At the same time, Mueke launched a Sh13.2 million water pan at the Nomotio Livestock Improvement Centre with a 20-million-litre water capacity to improve the livestock economy and also to cushion residents and their livestock during the dry seasons.
The county Executive for Agriculture Moses Leluata reiterated that the devolved unit is committed to improving livestock rearing from being a mere traditional activity in its current form to a more sustainable economic activity.
“Samburu county is a livestock county and that is why we assigned 11 percent of the county’s development budget to the livestock and agricultural sectors. This enables us to buy and distribute 1000 camels and 1000 Sahiwal heifers every financial year to improve the livelihoods of our people through livestock production,” he said.
Leluata lauded the partnership between the Samburu county government and the Kenya Livestock Commercialisation Project (KeLoP) through training of 20 community-based animal health workers and the subsequent provision of veterinary drugs and vaccines.
The PS was accompanied by the Samburu County Commissioner John Cheruiyot, the president’s advisor on livestock Prof. Abdi Guliye and KeLop county coordinator Dr. Edward Lolokuru among other government officials.
By Robert Githu
