The Ministry of Agriculture has announced plans to roll out a digital Identifications (IDs) system for livestock in a new push to ensure record-keeping and traceability.
Speaking during the official opening of the third edition of the Kenya Meat Expo at the KICC in Nairobi, Livestock Development Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke explained that the move will enable identification of the livestock and improve husbandry.
Under the new system, livestock farmers will get a digital identification (ID) for their animals, which they will use to monitor feeding, and disease control measures like deworming, tick control, and vaccinations.
In addition, the ID will enable farmers to present a certificate when they take their animals to slaughterhouses in the country and ensure they get fair prices.
Furthermore, the PS indicated that a tender for the supply of the IDs had already been floated.
“Livestock farmers will be given a digital ID for their animals, which will enable them to present a certificate of their livestock rearing practices when they take their animals to the slaughterhouse, thus ensuring that they get a fair price,” he said.
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Livestock IDs & Keeping Up with International Standards
On the other hand, PS Mueke said that the IDs will be instrumental in reducing cases of cattle rustling because it will ensure traceability.
At the same time, he noted that the global food chain had already adopted the move and Kenya will be left out of exports if the system is not implemented.
“Global traceability is extremely important for food items and countries are not going to import your products if you can’t trace them to the farm from where they came from,” he added.
The livestock sector contributes 12 percent to the GDP and supports about 50 percent of employment in the agricultural sector, benefiting 10 million Kenyans.
Also Read: Orengo Bashed Over Quality of Cows Distributed in Siaya
Closure of Slaughterhouses and fake Cow Meat
The move comes following several alarms raised by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) over the safety of slaughterhouses in Nairobi and cases of consumption of unsafe meat.
On March 8, NEMA announced the closure of Kiamaiko slaughterhouses over concerns about the handling of blood and offal.
Additionally, the authority stated that the butchers did not follow the water quality regulations that determine wastewater discharge.
In a separate incident on May 18, police in Kirinyaga County arrested suspected donkey thieves who confessed of slaughtering stolen donkeys and selling the meat in Nairobi.
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