Nairobi: Kakamega County Government has commenced a countywide livestock vaccination campaign against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). The vaccination is being conducted through the E-voucher subsidy model, targeting over 286,000 cattle across all the 12 sub-counties and will run from October to December this year.
According to Kenya News Agency, the County government will spend Sh31.4 million in the E-voucher livestock vaccination programme with each farmer required to pay Sh50 only per animal as the County tops-up with Sh110. The programme is undertaken under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), with an aim of boosting animal health, enhancing productivity, and safeguarding farmers' livelihoods.
Speaking during the launch of the programme at Lubao Market, the County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Mophat Mandela, said the programme is meant to safeguard livestock against FMD outbreaks. He mentioned that an FMD outbreak was detected in February this year, but was contained by the Department.
The CECM noted that the County government has partnered with private and national government veterinary officers, who will conduct door-to-door vaccinations. He added that the government has introduced a digital animal identification system powered by the Mifugo 360 Super App. The app will be used for registration, tagging, and tracking of animals for improved disease surveillance, market traceability, and theft prevention.