Livestock farmers in Nyeri are calling for more information in regard to the planned nationwide livestock vaccination drive scheduled for next year.

The government plans to roll out the nationwide inoculation exercise in January targeting 22 million cows against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and an additional 50 million goats and sheep against ovine rinderpest or peste des petits ruminants (PPR).

The campaign will be spearheaded by the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI) through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock production at an initial cost of Sh 193 million.

But a section of farmers who spoke to KNA in Nyeri says they are still in the dark in regard to the planned exercise and want the Government to come out and clear the air.

They allege the program, though a good gesture, has been hijacked by self-seeking politicians who are now using it as a weapon to scare livestock farmers from embracing it.

“It will be a tall order for the Government to succeed in the planned vaccination drive unless they come to the ground and educate us on why it is this critical. At the moment we are still in the dark in regard to the kind of diseases the vaccines are meant to protect,” laments Peter Kioni who rears 20 dairy cattle in his Chaka rural home, Kieni East.

Kioni is now calling upon the Government to employ the help of local County Veterinary officers in educating farmers about the exercise before rolling out next month.

He observes that while most livestock farmers may not necessarily have a problem in having their animals inoculated, there is need for more information over sticky issues to avoid unnecessary conflicts.

“What we need is information from the Government on why we are taking our animals to be vaccinated and against which diseases. The veterinary officers who will come to our homes should also talk to us and respond to any question that we may raise. We need the confusion surrounding this whole exercise put to rest once and for all,” he added.

Mary Wachira, another farmer from Gatitu village, also says there remains much to be explained before farmers can allow their animals to be inoculated.

She says unless those who will be administering the vaccines come to the grassroots and listen to the issues being raised by the farmers, it would be a herculean task convincing anyone to allow his animal to be jabbed.

Wachira says many farmers are currently struggling in the sector due to the high cost of livestock feeds occasioned by failed rains and would be reluctant to let their animals undergo an exercise whose outcome they know little about.

“Recently I lost a total of 24,000 birds through disease and I fear the worst could happen once I have my animals vaccinated without first being taken through the thorough pros and cons of the entire program. Unless someone explains the whole program to me, I will be reluctant to allow my animals to be inoculated,” she pointed out.

On his part Charles Chege, a resident of Gathuthi village in Othaya has attributed the controversy surrounding the program to politicians who he claims have now found ready fodder to articulate their personal political mileage.

Chege says he has no problem with the Government’s proposal to conduct the nationwide vaccination campaign which he says is no different from what the County government has been doing on the ground.

He nevertheless says some farmers fear the exercise could be an avenue by the State to collect revenue from farmers and hence the current misunderstanding.

“As for the farmers rearing livestock in Nyeri, I wish the Government came to the ground and addressed the contentious issues over the planned vaccination drive. There also needs to be clarity on which diseases these vaccinations are going to cushion our animals against. We have always had vaccination campaigns in this county including a recent one against lumpy skin disease which was a success. We hope this one will be a success too,” he pointed out.

Nyeri Agriculture and Livestock CECM James Wachihi however says farmers in the County have no issue with the whole vaccination program as most of them often avail their animals for vaccination on a yearly basis.

Wachihi also says as a county they have welcomed the plan but says the national government should have involved local veterinary officers in the plan to avert resistance from some farmers.

The officer says the county is currently undertaking vaccination drive for at least 80,000 animals in the county against FMD, rabies and lumpy skin disease, and hope to repeat the process next year.

“Our farmers have no issue with the planned vaccination program. I personally have no problem with it too. But we have a responsibility of sensitizing this exercise to our farmers. As we speak, we are conducting a vaccination campaign on our animals against lumpy skin disease. The government should have sat with us to develop a framework to help us sensitize farmers before rolling out this program and the counties should have been at the forefront in spearheading the exercise,” he told KNA.

Wachihi has also blamed leaders who are politicizing the inoculation exercise and warned that such people pose a grave danger in jeopardizing its success.

Source - https://www.kenyanews.go.ke