The Cabinet has approved the Livestock Bill 2023 that seeks to have livestock farmers, and anyone involved in the animal feed value chain pay a Ksh20,000 fine if found guilty of flouting any of its sections.
During a meeting on March 7, 2024, the meeting chaired by President William Ruto, the Cabinet considered and approved the controversial Livestock Bill 2023.
“Cabinet consequently considered and approved the two Bills that seek to give impetus to the BETA value chains delivery, as follows: The Livestock Bill, 2023; and The Pyrethrum (Repeal) Bill, 2023,” read part of the Cabinet dispatch.
If the Livestock Bill 2023 gets through, animal feed farmers and the entire animal feed chain will face massive disruption.
According to the Bill, anyone found guilty of flouting the laid down regulatory framework shall pay a Ksh20,000 fine or a jail term of up to six months.
This means that it will affect all the stages of the animal feed chain.
Livestock Bill
“A person shall not, whether as a business operator or otherwise, handle any animal feeds by way of engaging in any operation of production, manufacture, processing, storage, transport or distribution unless the person has been validly registered under this regulation and issued with a registration certificate,” the Livestock Bill 2023 states in part that.
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The bill is projected to boost keeping of records among the animal feed value chain relative to the processes of each activity.
Additionally, its proponents argue that it will help the authorities determine the quality of livestock being manufactured in every region.
It also aims at helping the authorities control animal feeds in good time.
Animal feeds according to the bill includes substance of animal or plant origin, any stock lick or other edible substance manufactured, sold, represented and intended for consumption by animals to provide the nutritional requirements and prevent or correct nutritional disorders of animals.
Blow for farmers
However, some livestock experts especially those in the wider public voiced concerns noting that some farm produce can be used as fodder for livestock.
For example, maize stalks from certain maize breeds can be used as fodder for livestock.
If the Bill passes, farmers growing such varieties will be required to make registration with the authorities should they convert the crop to animal feed.
At the same time, the Cabinet approved the Pyrethrum (Repeal) Bill, 2023 seeking to repeal the Pyrethrum Industry Act, 2013.
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The Cabinet noted that upon enactment, it will address the challenge of dual regulation of the Pyrethrum industry under two different pieces of legislation.
“The upshot of the legislative intervention will be to strengthen the governance framework for the production of pyrethrum,” the dispatch added.
This is by ensuring that only one institution, the Agriculture & Food Authority, and only one legal framework, the Crops Act, 2013, guides the growth and development of the pyrethrum industry.
The Cabinet also sanctioned the review of the National Mechanization Policy in an aim to boost land and human labor productivity through mechanization.
According to the dispatch, the proposed policy will facilitate technology transfer and promote modern mechanization practices of Kenyan agriculture.
