CS Kagwe warns misuse of veterinary medicines could derail Kenya's meat exports
Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe warns that failure to meet international standards on antimicrobial residues could jeopardise Kenya's access to lucrative.
Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe. He has warned that misuse of veterinary medicines could threaten Kenya's access to lucrative global meat export markets. (Photo: X/CS_MoALD)
Kenya risks losing access to lucrative global meat export markets due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) caused by the misuse of veterinary medicines, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development Mutahi Kagwe has warned.
Speaking at the opening of the Kenya Meat Conference 2026 in Nyeri on Wednesday, Kagwe said antimicrobial resistance was no longer just a veterinary concern but had become a national economic, food security and public health challenge.
“Responsible use of veterinary medicines is becoming a passport to international markets,” Kagwe said, warning that failure to meet international standards on antimicrobial residues could undo years of negotiations to secure export markets.
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The Cabinet Secretary said global estimates associate AMR with about 5.5 million deaths each year, with Kenya among the countries significantly affected.
To strengthen compliance, Kagwe said the government was reinforcing the Kenya Veterinary Board and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to ensure veterinary medicines remain under the supervision of licensed professionals.
He added that the government was implementing a series of livestock sector reforms, including the National Livestock Vaccination Programme and increased investment in the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI). The investment is expected to increase annual vaccine production from 45 million to more than 70 million doses.
The government is also rolling out the Livestock Identification and Traceability System (LITS) alongside the Animal Identification and Traceability System (ANITRAC) to improve traceability, food safety and transparency across the livestock value chain.
“Modern consumers demand traceability, food safety and transparency,” Kagwe said, adding that these had become essential requirements for international trade.
The Cabinet Secretary also condemned illegal donkey slaughter, describing it as a threat to food safety, public health and Kenya’s export ambitions despite the 2020 ban on commercial donkey slaughter. He directed the ministry to strengthen policy and enforcement measures against those involved.
The government aims to increase the livestock sector's contribution to Kenya's GDP from 12 per cent to 20 per cent while nearly doubling annual meat production to about 990,000 metric tonnes by 2028. The sector is projected to generate an estimated Sh450 billion annually.
Kagwe also called for increased investment in modern meat processing, branding and certification, saying the reforms would help position Kenya as Africa’s leading exporter of safe, traceable and high-quality meat products while boosting the livestock sector’s contribution to the economy.