Kenya Pushes New Vaccination Drive to Boost Livestock Productivity and Unlock Global Markets

Kenya’s livestock sector is gearing up for a major transformation as a new nationwide vaccination push targets two of the most damaging animal diseases—Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR). With national coverage still below 10 percent, the programme marks one of the strongest efforts yet to protect herds, raise productivity and position Kenyan farmers for better earnings on the global stage.

Source:farmersreviewafrica

Stakeholders say the campaign is designed to drastically reduce losses and strengthen herd resilience, helping the country meet the strict sanitary and traceability standards demanded by international buyers. GALVmed’s Lois Maragori described the collaboration as a turning point toward an export-driven livestock system, noting that the government’s target of vaccinating 22 million cattle and 50 million small ruminants requires strong coordination across all value-chain actors.

The VITAL 2 programme, a five-year initiative implemented by GALVmed across Kenya and two other African countries, aims to close the vaccination gap and make local livestock systems more commercially competitive. The approach focuses not just on vaccinating animals, but on building sustainable structures that allow farmers to benefit from healthier herds and more stable markets.

According to David Kihuyu, Deputy Director at the Department of Veterinary Services, renewed commitment to animal health systems is essential if Kenya is to reclaim high-value markets previously out of reach. He warned that resurfacing diseases threaten trade, animal movement and public health, stressing that traceability, accurate reporting and animal identification are now fully integrated into the vaccination effort.

Kenya Veterinary Association Council Chairman Nicholas Muyale highlighted the importance of government-led coordination, calling the gathering of producers, distributors, researchers and veterinarians the first of its kind. He said unified action will ensure vaccines move efficiently from production lines to farms, supporting a smooth nationwide rollout.

Kenya hopes to push ruminant vaccination coverage to nearly 90 percent under its disease-control roadmap—a milestone that could open export doors to the Middle East, South America, West Africa and parts of the Indian Ocean region. Partners believe that stronger vaccine coverage will stabilise production, expand market access and bring greater security to pastoral and smallholder families whose livelihoods depend on livestock.