Kenya rolls out digital livestock vaccination drive to boost meat production

KENYA – Livestock keepers in Taita Taveta County are taking part in a new digital vaccination programme aimed at improving disease management and service delivery in the dairy value chain.

The initiative, implemented under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), uses an electronic voucher system to facilitate the vaccination rollout. 

The e-platform connects farmer cooperatives with veterinary professionals, vaccine manufacturers, and development partners, including Safaricom and Mifugo 360, to streamline operations at the county level.

County Executive for Agriculture, Livestock, Irrigation and Cooperative Development, Katuu Mzenge, said swift implementation was critical to reach more farmers and widen coverage. Chief Livestock Officer Habibu Mruttu described the programme as a timely response to longstanding challenges in managing livestock diseases.

Chief Agriculture Officer Mcharo Mwalugha called on ward leaders to mobilise cooperative groups, highlighting their role in making services accessible under the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). 

As this ambitious programme unfolds at ward level with technical input from county agricultural and livestock officers, the knock-on effects are expected to ripple across the rural economy, boosting food security, raising household incomes, and positioning Taita Taveta as a leader in agricultural innovation under Kenya’s BETA agenda.

NAVCDP County Coordinator Andrew Mbinga added that the campaign seeks to promote economic self-reliance by reducing dependence on aid and focusing on commercial agriculture.

Livestock’s role in Kenya’s economy
This initiative is strategic as the livestock sector contributes about 12% to Kenya’s gross domestic product and supports the livelihoods of roughly 10 million people. The country’s herd includes 18.8 million cattle, 26.7 million goats, 18.9 million sheep, 3.2 million camels, and more than 44 million poultry.

Beef, largely produced in arid and semi-arid areas, remains a vital source of income and food security. Poultry farming is equally significant, with 43.8 million chickens producing over 35,000 tonnes of meat and 1.6 billion eggs annually.

In 2023, Kenya produced 556,653 metric tonnes of meat worth approximately US$2 billion (KSh304.6 billion), up from 464,512 metric tonnes valued at about US$1.6 billion (KSh240.7 billion) in 2022. Current estimates place average annual meat consumption at 15.6 kilograms per person, factoring in both local production and imports.

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