All Practitioners in the livestock production and feeding industry may soon be regulated if the proposed Animal Production Professionals and Technicians Bill 2023 sails through.
This was said by Dr. Christopher Wanga Director Livestock Policy and Regulations from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, during a two-day public participation workshop for Animal professionals and technicians Bill at Semara Hotel in Machakos town.
Dr. Wanga who was also representing the Principal Secretary State Department for Livestock Jonathan Mueke, said that the purpose of the Bill is to regulate persons offering services in animal production which ranges from feeds, breeding and other associated services.
“We are going to ensure that all the professionals in the livestock sector are regulated, the vets are already regulated and now the animal production professionals are to be regulated through the passing of this Bill which will give the sector the order and harmony that it has been lacking,” said Wanga.
He added that the farmer for the first time will be able to access good quality services from reliable and trained personnel that he can be able to identify because they have been trained, registered and regulated.
“The only way that we are going to protect the farmer or the consumer of the animal products is by ensuring the products have been attended to properly and standards upheld,” added Dr. Wanga.
Dr. Wanga pointed out the highlights of the proposed Bill was that they will establish a board to regulate the animal production professionals and they have also established standards for training and registration of these professionals so that the farmer will not be advised by anybody but a trained personnel.
“The Bill establishes a Board that is going to regularly check on these professionals so that the farmer will be advised by someone who is well trained and is able to give valid information in animal production,” added Wanga.
He added that the livestock sector is an open investment area that if one seizes the opportunity, then one will be in a good position to get returns from the farms and others to get gainful employment.
Dr. Wanga said the public participation had over 100 members from the public and private sector. The public sector are from Kirinyaga, Muranga, Makueni and Machakos counties, while the private sector are people in the value chain related to animal production who are practicing in the Eastern, Central and Nairobi areas.
On his part Evans Makoha who is the Chairman of the Task force that is running the whole process said the Bill is going to assist in running the Livestock Industry and is one of the Policy instruments that is going to be used to implement the livestock policy.
Makoha said the Livestock industry is unregulated unlike Veterinary animal health. He added that the Bill is crucial to assist the industry players running from production processing, equipment production and livestock feed for the purpose of improving livestock productivity.
“The Bill will offer opportunity for increased production and it will offer employment opportunities for the youth to be employed in the livestock sector,” said Makoha.
Grace Kimaru who is a Senior Deputy Director Livestock Production said the people who have been taking care of animals such as nurturing and feed production have not been regulated so the passing of the Bill will help eliminate the Quacks in the industry.
“Anybody has been doing training on livestock production and to give our practitioners and professionals a good deal we need to have a regulated sector and eliminate the quacks so that the stakeholders get the right services,” added madam Kimaru.
Kimaru noted that whoever will be practicing will be qualified, registered and licensed to give the necessary services to the farmers and stakeholders, she added that after the two day workshop they are going to do Validation in Nairobi.
By Anne Kangero
