Baringo county government has rolled out a comprehensive vaccination exercise of goats and sheep against contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) and Paste des petites ruminants (PPR) in Tiaty East and West Sub Counties.
Speaking when he officially launched the vaccination drive at Tangulbei area, Governor Benjamin Cheboi said the vaccination targeting over 300,000 goats and sheep will cushion farmers from losses and allow markets to operate without quarantine.
Cheboi, accompanied by his deputy Eng Felix Kimaiyo and County Executive Member (CECM) for Agriculture Risper Yator stated that he has instructed the veterinary department to be conducting the exercise every year until they secure all livestock within the region.
“Without these livestock, our households cannot raise income to run their families and pay school fees for their children,” the Baringo boss said.
He noted that livestock prices will soon increase when Maoi abattoir in Baringo South and slaughter houses situated in Barwesa and Loruk will be operationalised.
Governor Cheboi said that his administration has increased its budgetary allocation to agriculture department during the 2023/2024 financial year so as to ensure that livestock production is doubled through acquisition of better breeds, provisions of water and supporting pasture production initiatives due to the effects of climate change.
He urged farmers to register with their respective chiefs to benefit from a resilience programme the county government will be rolling out soon. The programme will include supplying farmers with animal feeds like hay and pellets to safeguard the livestock from the biting drought.
“We are also calling upon groups to team up and identify land where they can fence and be supplied with high quality pasture seeds that will be useful during the dry seasons,” Governor Cheboi said.
Cheboi, who also commissioned a Sh5 million Pompo Water Project co-funded by Emergency Locust Response Project in collaboration with the county government that he said will benefit over 1,000 households who often experience challenges of traveling several kilometres in search of the precious commodity for domestic use and livestock.
By Benson Kelio and Joshua Kibet
