The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, through the State Department of Livestock, is set to roll out a pioneering livestock identification and traceability system aimed at enhancing livestock management and curbing theft in Kenya. The system, known as Anitrack, will be the result of over two decades of planning and development, according to Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke. This ambitious initiative is expected to revolutionize the way livestock are tracked, identified, and managed in Kenya.
Anitrack will provide livestock owners with a robust way to register and track the origins, breed, productivity (such as milk or egg production), and geographical location of their animals. This will enable the traceability of livestock products from the farm to the market, which is becoming increasingly important in global markets where consumers demand to know the origin of their food. Mueke highlighted that the system would also provide farmers with an opportunity to access loans using their livestock as collateral. Banks and insurance companies will be able to obtain critical information about each animal, including vaccination history, breed, and age, transforming livestock into valuable assets.
A key feature of the Anitrack system is the inclusion of GPS-enabled air tags that will be placed on each animal. This development is expected to significantly reduce the occurrence of cattle theft, which has been a major issue for farmers across the country. Christopher Wanga, Director of Livestock Policy, Research, and Regulations at the Ministry, explained that the system would make stolen animals easily identifiable, deterring thieves from engaging in livestock theft. The digital identification system will also link livestock to their rightful owners, ensuring that when an animal is sold, ownership is transferred electronically.
While the system will not be mandatory, Wanga emphasized that it will be highly beneficial for farmers engaged in livestock as a business. Farmers will be encouraged to adopt the system as a smart practice, with the ministry planning to involve the public in the rollout process and scale up animal registration to benefit more farmers.
As the government continues to work on finalizing the Livestock Master Plan and scaling up vaccination efforts, Anitrack will play a pivotal role in improving market access and safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers. By ensuring better traceability and ownership, this innovative system is poised to address critical challenges in Kenya’s livestock sector, making it more secure, efficient, and financially viable for all stakeholders.
