Mueke launches national campaign to eradicate sheep, goats disease

The national government has partnered with the international community to wipe out the viral Peste Des Petits Ruminants disease by 2027.

Livestock Principal Jonathan Mueke on Thursday launched a nationwide campaign to vaccinate 63 million sheep and goats to eradicate PPR.

Mueke announced Kenya is implementing a global strategy for eradication of PPR.

"This strategy provides a pathway for the progressive control and eradication of PPR by the year 2027, while emphasising reduction of the threat of other priority small ruminant diseases, " the PS said.

He  launched the exercise at  Syukithumbi in Kwa Mutonga ward of Kitui West subcounty.

PPR causes high deaths of sheep and goats, leaving a serious negative economic impact on livestock keepers.

Mueke called called for collaboration to help eradicate the disease.

“I, therefore, request all stakeholders to join hands in kicking out PPR out of the universe by having all sheep and goats vaccinated against this disease,” he said. 

Mueke said PPR is a highly contagious viral disease that causes many deaths and heavy economic losses to livestock keepers, thus leading to food and nutritional insecurity.

He lamented that the disease had a significant negative impact on the economy, food security and rural livelihoods.

Mueke  said sheep and goats play a crucial role in the Kenyan economy by providing livelihoods, income, employment and export earnings.

"Their contributions are essential to both the agricultural sector and the broader economy," he stressed.

The PS said the livestock sub-sector faces a myriad of challenges including  diseases and pests, unfavourable climatic conditions and lack of markets.

He added that trans-boundary diseases like foot and mouth disease, Rift Valley fever, PPR and anthrax cause huge economic losses due to deaths, treatment costs and poor body condition of the surviving livestock.

“The socio-economic losses associated with PPR mainly result from the high case fatality rates. The annual impact of PPR in all 23 Asal counties of Kenya for the year 2016 was estimated at Sh1.67 billion,” he said.

In order to protect sheep and goats in Kitui, the PS said 700,000 doses of PPR vaccine had been released to the county to cover all the animals.

He said access of livestock and livestock products to lucrative markets, was hugely hindered by PPR, among other transboundary diseases.

“Small ruminants act as a short-term savings accounts, which can be rapidly converted into cash to cover both planned and emergency expenses,” the PS said.

He described sheep and goats as prolific breeders with a short reproductive cycle of six months to one year hence the size and value of the flock increases within a short time.

“PPR, therefore, is a threat to food security and livelihoods of most pastoralists who are dependent on livestock,” he said.

Mueke said the Kenya Kwanza government was on course in implementing the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda of improving the meat value chain.

“Sheep and goats contribute greatly to the rural economy through the various Nyama Choma joints located all over the country,” he said.