Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development Andrew Karanja has stated that the planned mass vaccination campaign is crucial in the production of quality food products.
Speaking at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) Headquarters on Friday 13, Karanja emphasized that the campaign will help combat diseases whilst also maintaining compliance with global food safety standards.
“We are fortifying meat export markets by combating livestock diseases. We are addressing threats such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) through a planned mass vaccination campaign.”
“This ensures safe meat, milk, and other products while adhering to global food safety standards,” Karanja said.
The CS also lauded significant strides in Kenya’s agriculture sector.
Karanja credited the sector’s achievements to favorable policies and ongoing interventions aligned with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
He emphasized that agriculture remains a cornerstone of Kenya’s economy contributing 21.8 percent to the GDP and providing employment to 40 percent of the population.
“With favorable rainfall and the distribution of subsidized fertilizer, crop and livestock productivity has significantly increased. This has not only reduced import bills but also boosted farmers’ incomes,” the CS noted.
Karanja highlighted the Ministry’s Edible Oils Promotion Project, under which 556 metric tons of sunflower seeds have been distributed to mitigate the high cost of edible oil imports.
“Additional crops such as canola, coconut, sesame, and oil palm are being promoted to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oil production,” Karanja said.
The CS also revealed that the Ministry is addressing key challenges to improve productivity.
Stating that measures in place include the expansion of forage and feed production, enhanced breeding programs, and livestock insurance coverage.
Efforts to strengthen meat export markets are also underway, with the Ministry prioritizing the eradication of livestock diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR).