KENYA – The Kenyan government is preparing to implement a new Animal Identification and Traceability System (ANTITRAC) as part of efforts to improve livestock management, enhance productivity, and address theft in the sector.
Speaking during the official opening of the Nambale livestock sale yard in Busia County on Wednesday, Livestock Development Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke said the system is currently in its pilot phase at government farms and will soon be expanded across the country.
According to Mueke, each animal will receive a tag containing a chip with unique identification data.
“Every animal will have a tag with a chip. The code from the tag, when keyed in, will provide the name of the animal owner, the weight of the animal and when it was born. It will also indicate the quantity of milk it produces and the type of vaccine it has received,” he said.
“This will make it easy for the market and even improve the price of the animal, which will be profitable to the farmers”.
ANTITRAC is part of the government initiatives to enhance the quality of livestock and enable farmers to meet market demand.
Mueke noted that the National Breed Improvement Programme, which includes artificial insemination and embryo transfer, is being implemented with government subsidies to improve livestock breeds.
“The market demand for our animal products is high, but the challenge has been low productivity,” he added.
The opening of the Nambale livestock market coincided with the announcement. Mueke described the facility as meeting modern standards, with features including a quarantine area, cattle and goat sale yards, stalls, and shade.
He said the market is expected to create employment opportunities in sectors such as transport, security, food services, and casual labor.
The market, which cost KSh 23 million (US$178,018.58), was developed under the Kenya Livestock Commercialization Project (Kelcop), a collaboration between the national government and Busia County.
Director of Livestock Production Bishar Fille Elmi noted Busia County’s significant livestock population, which includes 1.2 million poultry, 217,000 cattle, 197,000 goats, and 112,000 sheep. He said annual treatments are conducted to maintain animal health, with 72,000 cattle, 96,000 sheep and goats, and 100,000 poultry treated last year.
Busia County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture George Mukok said the market would strengthen livestock production in the region and neighboring counties.
He also highlighted the role of ANTITRAC in addressing livestock theft.
“The identification initiative is going to play a key part in ensuring the safety of our livestock from home up to the market,” he said.
Mukok added that the county government is drafting legislation to allocate part of the market’s revenue for maintenance. He called on residents to invest in livestock and poultry farming to benefit from emerging market opportunities.
Busia County Commissioner Mwachaunga Chaunga urged locals to engage in farming to supply raw materials for upcoming industrial projects in the region.
“The government is investing much in this county in terms of industrialization. We have the EPZ and county aggregation and industrial park at Nasewa, which are almost done. These industries will not be important if we don’t engage much in farming to provide raw material from sunflowers to cotton,” he said.
Nambale Market Management Committee Chairperson Jackline Musungu stated that the new facility would enhance livestock security, as traders had previously lacked a designated holding area for their animals.