Taita Taveta County Governor Andrew Mwadime has launched a comprehensive countywide livestock vaccination exercise aimed at protecting livestock and transforming the county into a disease-free zone for enhanced market access.
Speaking during the launch of the National E-Voucher Vaccination programme for cattle, sheep and goats at Manoa in Mwatate Sub-County, Mwadime described the initiative as a major milestone in building a resilient and profitable livestock sector in the county.
“This intervention is not just about vaccination. It is about protecting livelihoods, promoting trade and transforming agriculture in line with our goal of making agriculture an attractive and profitable investment venture for our livestock farmers,” the governor said.
The vaccination exercise, implemented through a partnership between the county government and the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), targets diseases that have significantly impacted livestock farmers in the region.
Cattle will be vaccinated against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), while sheep and goats will receive protection against Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR).
Governor Mwadime noted that Taita Taveta has great potential as a niche market for livestock exports, particularly in the supply of beef and beef products. However, disease outbreaks have remained a serious barrier to achieving this goal.
The county recently experienced an outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease affecting over 5,000 animals, causing livestock deaths, threatening market access, and reducing farmer incomes.
“Livestock disease outbreaks affect the sector in different ways, including market closures, overuse of antibiotics to manage symptoms which contributes to antimicrobial resistance posing a public health risk, increased treatment costs, and reduced profit margins for our hard-working farmers. It is therefore critical that we take preventive action,” he stated.
The county has registered over 53,000 farmers engaged in both crop and livestock farming. According to the database, the county recorded 39,740 cattle, 87,248 goats, and 12,488 sheep, all of which will be targeted in the vaccination campaign.
Through the E-voucher system, farmers will receive subsidies, paying only Sh50 per head of cattle and Sh3 per head goat or sheep, with the national government covering the balance of Sh110 for cattle and Sh30 for small ruminants.
“We are proud to launch this first-of-its-kind approach to the provision of vaccination services in the county. Through the E-voucher system, livestock farmers will be linked to certified private veterinarians and existing farmer cooperatives. This will ensure transparency, efficiency and accountability,” Mwadime said.
The programme will be delivered through different farmers’ cooperatives, including Tagho Dairy FCS, Mwafugha Dairy FCS, Diwadane FCS, Rong’e FCS, and Taita Taveta Banana FCS, working alongside private veterinary practitioners.
The governor urged all farmers to register with their ward-based cooperatives, noting that these are key vehicles for delivering not just vaccination but a range of services from inputs and training to marketing and credit access.
Stephen Mkala, the chair of the Agriculture, Livestock and Blue Economy committee in the County Assembly, said the vaccination would go a long way in helping farmers who previously lacked the capacity to vaccinate their livestock privately due to high costs.
“In Taita Taveta County we transport livestock to Mauritius when the region maintains its disease-free status,” he said, adding that the County Assembly prioritises the sector when allocating matching funds.
The County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Livestock and Blue Economy Dawson Katuu revealed that the county is targeting over 50,000 farmers and more than 80,000 livestock in the project.
Local MCA Mabishi Joseph welcomed the partnership between national and county governments in bringing subsidised vaccines closer to farmers.
“We are happy that this project has been brought in at the right time, just as the rains are about to start, because most of the time when the rains start, it’s when we get diseases such as foot and mouth and other diseases that affect the lungs of the animals,” he said.
The Director General in the Livestock Health Department Dr. Jeremiah Ngugi, urged residents to embrace the vaccination programme, noting its importance for market access.
“This programme will help us get a market for our livestock products because most of the countries that take the products from our county want to ensure that they do not pass the diseases to their countries when we sell them the livestock products,” he noted.
He added that the programme would also provide employment opportunities for trained youths in animal health.
By Arnold Linga Masila
