The government plans to launch a digital tagging system to identify livestock in Kenya and monitor their rearing practices. The system will be unveiled early this year.
According to Jonathan Mueke, the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Livestock Development under the Ministry of Agriculture, the tag will be equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS), a satellite-based navigation system providing information on location, time, speed, and direction for objects in motion.
Speaking during a media briefing in Nairobi, Mueke said the initiative had been in the trial phase for more than 20 years without success.
However, Mr Mueke said the government has finally gotten a breakthrough.
“The system, known as Anitrack (animal tracker), will help register livestock, identify them, determine their breed and productivity levels, and locate them geographically,” the PS explained.
For years, Kenya has struggled to access competitive international markets for livestock products but missed some due food safety standards. The government believes this initiative will help bridge that gap.
According to Mueke, the digital livestock tags will enhance the safety of livestock products such as meat, milk, eggs, and leather.
“International markets require knowing the origin of agricultural products, both crops and livestock. The 2025 plan will help us identify our farmers and trace their livestock,” he elaborated.
Mueke also noted that Anitrack would address cattle rustling, particularly in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) regions.
For years, counties in these areas have faced surges in livestock theft, forcing some families to flee their homes in fear of attacks by rustlers, with some losing their lives.
Counties notorious for cattle rustling include Elgeyo-Marakwet, Baringo, Samburu, West Pokot, Laikipia, and Turkana.
The country continues to report cases of cattle rustling despite the deployment of a multi-agency team of security officers in the affected areas.
“The GPS tag will be very useful in tracing stolen animals,” Mr Mueke said, adding that the digital system would be so crucial in helping the government track stolen livestock and curb the cases.
However, the PS did not clarify whether the tag would be tamper-proof to prevent removal by criminals. Additionally, he did not disclose the budget allocated for the programme.
Apart from addressing cattle rustling and ensuring the safety of livestock products for international markets, the identification system will benefit farmers by enabling them to use their livestock as collateral for bank loans.
Currently, financial institutions hesitate to offer loans to livestock keepers due to the lack of mechanisms to trace borrowers who default on payments.
While the initiative may face resistance, Mueke urged the media to be vigilant on misleading information spreading online about government’s programs to streamline livestock sector.
The national livestock vaccination drive is one of the government initiatives that has come under criticism. The programme is scheduled to begin in January 2025.
Mr Mueke dismissed claims that the digital livestock traceability and identification system aims to impose taxes on farmers.
“Online, we have seen some users alleging that registering livestock through the digital system is a way of introducing taxes on farmers, including those raising chickens, rabbits, and others. That is baseless misinformation,” he said.
The PS reiterated that the program’s primary goal is to enhance the safety and quality of livestock products.
