New Vaccine Drive Seeks to Boost Farm Output and Income

-
New Vaccine Drive Seeks to Boost Farm Output and Income

A New Era for Livestock Health in Kenya

Kenya is taking significant steps to enhance its livestock sector through a renewed national vaccination drive, focusing on ruminants such as cattle, sheep, and goats. This initiative, led by the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed), in collaboration with the Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, aims to boost productivity, increase farmer incomes, and expand access to regional and global markets.

The program aligns with the government’s broader mass vaccination efforts targeting two critical diseases: Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR). These diseases have long been a major obstacle to livestock production, limiting Kenya’s ability to compete in international trade. Currently, vaccination coverage remains below 10 percent, highlighting the urgent need for action.

According to the implementing organizations, increasing vaccination rates will not only reduce losses but also improve herd resilience and help Kenya meet the sanitary and traceability standards required by international buyers. This is crucial for the country’s aspirations to regain access to markets that were previously out of reach.

Lois Maragori of GALVmed emphasized the importance of this collaboration, stating that it marks a shift toward export-oriented livestock systems. She highlighted the significance of the multi-stakeholder meeting, which brings together participants involved in ruminant vaccination. The goal is to raise the national ruminant vaccination rate as the government works towards vaccinating 22 million cattle and 50 million sheep and goats.

Maragori also mentioned that GALVmed’s five-year VITAL 2 programme, which covers Kenya and two other African countries, aims to close the vaccination gap and strengthen commercially competitive livestock value chains.

David Kihuyu, Deputy Director in the Department of Veterinary Services, stressed the importance of improved animal health systems for Kenya to reclaim markets that were once inaccessible to local producers. He pointed out that without the involvement of key stakeholders—from information disseminators to vaccine producers, distributors, and researchers—fully executing the mandate would be challenging.

"Some of the diseases we eradicated are resurfacing, and that affects trade, animal movement, human health, and Kenya's access to international markets," Kihuyu said. He added that accurate disease reporting, traceability, and animal identification are now integral parts of the vaccination exercise, essential for Kenya’s export ambitions.

Nicholas Muyale, Chairman of the Kenya Veterinary Association Council, highlighted the role of government-led coordination in ensuring efficient production, distribution, and field delivery of vaccines. He noted that this is the first government-organized multi-stakeholder meeting bringing together all actors in the livestock sector, from vaccine production to distribution and use. Government intervention is seen as key to ensuring coordinated participation and an effective rollout of vaccination nationwide.

Kenya has set a target of reaching nearly 90 percent ruminant vaccination coverage under its progressive disease-control pathway. This milestone is expected to unlock new export corridors in regions such as the Middle East, South America, West Africa, and the Indian Ocean region.

The partners involved in the initiative believe that improved vaccine coverage will stabilize production, widen market access, and support pastoral and smallholder households whose livelihoods depend heavily on livestock. This effort represents a critical step forward in Kenya’s journey toward a more resilient and competitive livestock sector.

Key Objectives of the Vaccination Drive

  • Boost Productivity: By reducing the impact of diseases like FMD and PPR, the vaccination drive aims to improve the overall health and productivity of ruminant populations.
  • Increase Farmer Incomes: Higher vaccination rates are expected to lead to better yields and healthier animals, directly benefiting farmers and pastoralists.
  • Expand Market Access: Meeting international sanitary and traceability standards will open up new export opportunities, allowing Kenyan livestock products to reach global markets.
  • Strengthen Value Chains: The initiative supports the development of more robust and commercially viable livestock value chains across the country.
  • Enhance Disease Surveillance: Improved reporting and traceability systems will enable better monitoring and control of animal diseases, supporting both domestic and international trade.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Japan Firms Leverage Satellites and AI to Locate Abandoned Homes for Sale

-
Image
The Rise of AI-Powered Real Estate Discovery in Japan In Tokyo, a growing number of Japanese companies are leveraging satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to identify abandoned houses that could be repurposed or sold. This innovative approach is becoming increasingly vital as the country faces a rising number of deserted properties due to its aging population. Where Inc., a startup, offers a service that uses AI trained on tens of thousands of images to detect signs of aging roofs, such as rust and discoloration. These findings are then overlaid on satellite maps, helping users spot properties that may have been left unattended. One of Where Inc.'s users, Kotaro Yasue, recently discovered a two-story wooden house through this service. He was able to contact the owner via a real estate registry. It turned out that the house had been neglected for over a decade, and the owner was unsure how to proceed with its disposal. Yasue, who runs a house rental service company in G...
Read more

GEN Nigeria and Others Target Indigenous Firms with New Tech Fees

-
Image
Empowering Nigerian Entrepreneurs with AI Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN Nigeria), in collaboration with Fidelity Bank Plc and other organizations, has called on young entrepreneurs in Nigeria to embrace new technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), in their business operations. This initiative was highlighted during the Youth Entrepreneurship Dialogue, titled “Building the Future with AI: Technology, Talent, and Transformation Entrepreneurship,” which took place at the 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) in Lagos. Dr. Olawale Anifowose, the Managing Director of GEN Nigeria, emphasized that AI has become essential for local enterprises in Nigeria to boost productivity, drive innovation, and enhance competitiveness. According to Anifowose, this can be achieved by automating tasks, personalizing customer experiences through data analysis, and enabling entrepreneurs to develop and scale new products and services more efficiently. Enhancing Efficiency and Produc...
Read more

I Was Healthy Until a Dirty Habit Stopped My Heart

-
Image
A Rare Case of Cannabis-Induced Cardiac Arrest in a Young, Healthy Woman A 26-year-old woman from Georgia experienced a life-threatening cardiac arrest after smoking marijuana. The incident occurred when her fiancé discovered her unconscious on the bathroom floor, prompting immediate emergency medical intervention. Upon arrival at the hospital, doctors confirmed that she had suffered a cardiac arrest, where the heart suddenly stopped beating. The woman had no known pre-existing health conditions and tested negative for heart-related issues such as arrhythmia. However, she was found to have high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis responsible for the "high" sensation. Doctors diagnosed her with ventricular fibrillation, a severe heart rhythm disorder that prevents the heart from effectively pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body. This led to what they described as a "cannabis-induced cardiac arrest." This case has rais...
Read more