- Kagwe urged farmers to embrace ANITRAC livestock tagging.
- The system aims to boost exports and improve traceability.
- Nationwide rollout targets higher farmer incomes and value addition.
Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mutahi Kagwe has called on livestock farmers to fully embrace the Animal Identification and Traceability (ANITRAC) system, as the government pushes to open up high value export markets for Kenyan livestock and livestock products.
Kagwe led a livestock sensitisation and tagging exercise in Kurawa, Tana River County, a week after the national launch of the programme in Nyeri. He was joined by Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana and officials from the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS).
The CS told farmers and local leaders that ANITRAC is more than a tagging exercise. He said it lays the foundation for a modern livestock economy, in which every registered animal gets a unique digital identity that allows it to be traced from source to market.
Kagwe said international meat buyers increasingly want proof of an animal’s origin, movement history and health status before allowing products into premium markets.
He urged farmers to cooperate fully with the registration exercise, saying the government is working to unlock markets in Europe, the Middle East and beyond. He added that this depends on Kenya’s ability to show credible livestock identification and traceability that meets global standards.
Kagwe said ANITRAC will strengthen disease surveillance and control, cut livestock theft, improve food safety, restore consumer confidence and raise the value of Kenyan livestock products in local and international markets.
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He noted that the ear tags and electronic identification chips used under ANITRAC are manufactured locally. This creates jobs, supports local industry and shows Kenya’s growing ability to produce advanced agricultural technology.
The CS also pointed to government investment in the newly established Kenya Leather Industrial Parks. He said the facilities will help Kenya export value added leather products instead of raw hides and skins. Combining a reliable traceability system with local processing, he said, will create more jobs, strengthen local industries and generate greater value for farmers and the wider economy.
Kagwe said the government’s goal is to turn livestock keeping from a traditional livelihood into a modern commercial enterprise. He said this would create wealth, drive industrialisation and position Kenya as a trusted supplier of safe, traceable and high quality livestock products.
The nationwide ANITRAC rollout will continue across all counties as the government accelerates livestock registration, strengthens animal health systems and works to expand market access, raise farmer incomes and build a more resilient livestock sector.
By Benedict Aoya
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