The Livestock Bill 2024 draft law that has been proposed by the State Department of Livestock in consultation with stakeholders, if passed will commercialize livestock farming in the country.
Principal Secretary for Livestock Development, Jonathan Mueke said the Bill which has put into consideration the interests of farmers will address their economic stability by securing good returns on investment besides developing the livestock value chain.
‘This proposed legislation that is aligned and sensitive to livestock farmers’ interests and aspirations will ensure a robust and sustainable livestock sector by enhancing productivity, market access and sector resilience,’ said Mueke.
The legislation will also address policy regulation, incentives, training, research and disaster management, encourage best practices and guarantee stable prices, create employment and wealth opportunities and make the country competitive for both local and international investors.
‘Unethical practices which had taken root due to lac
k of regulation will be fully addressed to allow investors, especially farmers to get better returns on their livestock investment,’ said the PS.
In a press statement sent to news, the PS added that the Bill will also create infrastructure to ensure that inputs are free from contaminants and harmful substances to guarantee quality animal nutrition and high levels of efficiency and productivity.
Mueke said with the legislation in place, farmers will now be able to access incentives such grants, credit, off-take agreements and farm inputs which have been scarce and uncoordinated due to absence of an enabling regulation.
He mentioned that the Bill through creation of the marketing Board will open markets for livestock products such as meat, milk, eggs, honey and leather which currently have no marketing agency thereby making farmers reach broader markets and optimize their sales.
Mueke further noted that the legislation will require livestock farmers to register commercial breeding animals for purposes of en
suring high standards in genetic improvement and herd quality, aimed at protecting livestock farmers from quacks and preventing losses.
He said the promotion of research and innovation in the Bill aims to address emerging challenges and improving overall sector efficiency through research findings in commercial livestock enterprises.
‘The utilization of research findings will foster innovation as well as ensure that resources are directed towards addressing critical sector challenges, thus improving management practices and productivity,’ Mueke added.
The PS said the Bill will ensure that institutions established under subsidiary legislation among them Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute, Kenya Animal Genetics Resources Centre, Kenya Leather Development Council and the Kenya Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Council are established under substantive law under the Act of Parliament.
He added that the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization will be reformed to establish the Ken
ya Livestock Research Organization whose impact will bring sustainable production of high quality and effective vaccines, enhancement of livestock genetics to improve breeds.
‘There will also be growth of leather industry to supply all the county’s leather needs as well as bring foreign exchange earnings from exports and boost effective tsetse and trypanosomiasis eradication efforts,’ said the Livestock PS, adding that it will also separate livestock research from crop research.
Source: Kenya News Agency