Establishment of Disease Free Zones in Kenya

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Establishment of Disease Free Zones in Kenya

The Kenya government, through Vision 2030, has decided to establish disease free zones to enable the country export meat and improve earnings of livestock producers and players in the value chain. Meat production for export is expected to not only contribute to the creation of wealth but also bring about job creation and improve the general quality of life for sector players. Disease free zoning will also save on economic losses from target diseases estimated as over Sh 21 billion annually.

Eradication of infections and transboundary diseases is a very expensive and long term undertaking which all countries face. Many countries may not afford the cost of nation-wide eradication of trade-sensitive disease. However, a resource-challenged identify, a part of the country (called a zone) where through implementation of a specified programme, they can eliminate the risk of disease and thereby access international meat markets. Under the SPS Agreement, member countries of WTO agreed to recognize disease free zones as sources of animals and animal products subject to risk assessment. At the moment Kenya is not participating fully in international meat markets due to failure to pass risk assessment by potential importing countries and OIE.

The protocol for elimination of the risk of disease and other sanitary concerns has been established by the standards-setting World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The objective of disease free zoning measures is to assure countries that disease, disease-causing organisms, contaminants, toxins and prohibited substances will not be introduced into their countries through importation of animals and animal products.

DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED DISEASE ERADICATION PROCEDURES FOR DISEASE FREE ZONING PROGRAMME IN KENYA

A.  DISEASE MANAGEMENT

The Disease-Free Zoning Programme will achieve zonal “free” status and acquire OIE freedom certificate for Foot and Mouth Disease, Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy as well as maintain the recently acquired free status for Rinderpest.

These are the only 4 diseases which OIE officially recognizes the “free” status. However, zoning will “suppress” 8 other prevalent diseases which would otherwise impact negatively on trade or productivity, i.e. Lumpy Skin Disease, Tuberculosis, Trypanosomosis, Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia, Brucellosis, Rift Valley Fever, Sheep and Goat Pox and Peste de Petit Ruminants.


PROPOSED DISEASE FREE ZONES IN KENYA

The Coastal zone will be established as an FMD-free zone-without-vaccination. Animal products from this zone will target FMD-free-without-vaccination markets such as the European Union. As the zone is currently FMD-infected, it will be necessary to eradicate the virus first through vaccination and thereafter sustain the freedom through surveillance, disease-barriers and electronic traceability data capture.

The Laikipia-Isiolo Complex zone will be an FMD-free zone with vaccination as disease threat from game ranches with the buffalo is high. Free-ranging buffaloes which are estimated to be 600 will be driven from cattle rearing areas and into game parks or into bio-secured game-only ranches.  Animal products from this zone will target FMD-free-with-vaccination markets. FMD freedom will be attained through tri-annual free and compulsory vaccination, disease-barriers with screening facilities for animal entrants, surveillance and electronic traceability.

Game ranches are currently electrically fenced. This biosecurity measure will be evaluated with respect to FMD risk and any weaknesses eliminated. As ranchers perfect FMD-biosecurity measures, upgrading of the zone to free-without-vaccination status will be done and the market range consequently extended.

B. EXPORT ABATTOIRS

Export abattoirs are supposed to be recognized as disease-free by OIE. To facilitate bio security, each of the two zones will have their own export abattoir. For Coastal zone, Kenya Meat Commission Plant in Mombasa could be evaluated for suitability. If it passes evaluation, it would be bio-secured and used for meat processing. If it fails, a new abattoir would be erected.

A new export-abattoir will be erected inside the Laikipia-Isiolo Complex zone. The proposed design will be evaluated along the approval system to find out if it conforms to local and international standards, including comments of the Local Authority, the local Department of Physical Planning, the Department of Public Health and Sanitation, National Environmental Management Authority, Director of Veterinary Services and finally approval by my Ministry.

C. ANIMAL IDENTIFCATION AND TRACEABILITY

The disease management measures will be augmented by implementation of an animal identification and traceability system commensurate with international standards. Such a system, the Radio-Frequency Identification Device, has been piloted in Kenya and is awaiting legal framework to roll-off. The system is using electronic microchip-impregnated ruminal bolus with data-system able to capture animal husbandry, nutritional, disease-surveillance and management activities, movement and trade for individual animals.

PROPOSED AREAS OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE FRENCH LIVESTOCK INSTITUTE AND BREEDING DIVISION VET. LABORATORIES

Organization of the French A.I. Service delivery system

Capacity building in Embryo Transfer and other assisted reproductive Technologies.

Quality Control of locally Produced and imported genetics.
Human Resource Development
There is need to build capacity in the following areas:-
-        Management of Breeding Programs
-        Semen Production
-        Marketing of Livestock Genetics

The French Livestock Institute can be requested to arrange in house training on the above subjects.