Goat plague ruining herders’ livelihoods

The Ministry of Livestock Development has stepped up its fight against the dreaded goat plague (peste des petits ruminants or PPR) that is killing thousands of animals in most arid areas in the country.

The Nation has learnt that a Cabinet meeting was called recently to discuss ways of containing the plague and to source emergency funds.

The meeting also discussed the impact of the disease on the livelihoods of the vulnerable groups in the North Rift and north eastern Kenya. The issue of food security in the affected regions was also tabled.

In addition, the Cabinet highlighted the proposed necessary measures to contain the spread and eradicate the disease to safeguard the livelihoods and arrest the associated food insecurity.

According to Livestock Development permanent secretary Patrick Khaemba, about 23 million sheep and goats valued at Sh16.1 billion were likely to die of the disease. More than 58 per cent of the animals are in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (Asal), which are most susceptible to the plague.

Mr Khaemba said that about 10 million people depended on the animals for their livelihood. The animals were the source of meat, milk, blood and income.

Main casualties

The PS said more than 16 districts in the Asal zones had been hit by the plague with Samburu West, Samburu East, Pokot, Marakwet, Baringo and Keiyo districts being the most affected.

“Poverty levels in the Asal areas are high and poor households more often than not own only a few sheep and goats and no cattle. From the foregoing, it is evident that adverse situations such as outbreaks of sheep and goat diseases normally have devastating impacts on food security,” he said.

Speaking during the handing over of the Kenya Veterinary Vaccine Production Institute (KEVEVAPI) by the Ministry of Agriculture to the Livestock Ministry recently, Mr Khaemba said that the country did not have a vaccine to contain the disease, which was detected in Turkana District in 2006.

The PS said that the institute would be used to develop affordable vaccine against the disease.

But most farmers feel that the cost of combating the disease was too high. Nominated MP Maison Leshoono said that at least 50,000 sheep and goats had died in the larger Samburu district in the past six months.

She said food security in the district was threatened, adding that the school drop-out rate had risen as many parents could not afford school fees for their children.

The legislator regretted that a single family had lost more than 700 sheep to the plague.

“Why should animal vaccines be imported whereas KEVEVAPI was established to manufacture them?” posed Ms Leshoono.