Disease outbreak, quality issues hinder livestock exports

 

Disease outbreaks, inadequate livestock breeds, and poor-quality feeds have emerged as the main challenges to livestock export in Kenya, despite the sector’s high potential.

These issues have been exacerbated by prolonged drought, which has killed thousands of animals and left others weak and susceptible to disease.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock noted that Kenya could earn billions through livestock exports if these challenges were adequately addressed.

This was highlighted during the ongoing stakeholders’ engagement on livestock marketing in Naivasha, organized by AU-IBAR under the Africa Pastoral Markets Development Platform (APMD).

Dr. Richard Kyuma, Director of Livestock, shared that the government is prioritizing livestock vaccination as a key measure to combat disease.

Kyuma added that other initiatives include improving livestock breeds, enhancing feed quality, and constructing water pans to support livestock production.

Speaking to the press at the event, Dr. Kyuma acknowledged that frequent droughts and climate challenges had eroded previous gains in the sector.

“Livestock exports to Europe are often hindered by diseases. The government is addressing this, as well as the challenge of feed quality that many farmers face,” he said.

The APMD project, led by AU-IBAR, is expected to support women and youth in accessing lucrative livestock markets.

Project coordinator Prof. Ahmed El Beltagy said the four-year program will be implemented across Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso.

As a key partner, Kenya stands to benefit through wealth creation, food security, job creation, and improvements in market information, water resources, and cross-border disease controls.

“The project will enable women and youth to contribute to and benefit from the livestock sector, provided they comply with livestock export standards,” Prof. El Beltagy stated.

Fatuma Osman, a livestock farmer from Isiolo, expressed optimism about women’s empowerment in the industry.

“Women in our community are often confined to household duties. With such workshops, we’re gaining the tools to access livestock markets,” she said.

Mohamed Abdi, a former chief from Mandera, noted that efforts to export livestock to Somalia have been hampered by security concerns related to terrorist attacks.

By KBC Digital