NAIROBI: The East African Community (EAC) plans to come up with livestock sector policies that will govern transaction of livestock and its products across member States.
This follows the announcement that EAC will be adopting a single customs unit to enhance trade across member States by cutting down on transaction costs.
Already a common market for livestock has been established in Namanga.
Speaking in Nairobi during a regional conference, East Africa Farmers’ Federation President Philip Kiriro noted that livestock sector was a major component of trade that contributes largely to the economic growth of the region.
“Livestock is more than just a trade in this region. Livestock and agriculture integrates this region as a community. We therefore need policies that will make this trade recognisable within respective States. This is because most trade transactions that take place are still informal yet lucrative,” he said.
Mr Kiriro added that the informal nature of livestock trade had exposed a lot of loopholes.
“This is also for the small-scale farmers whom we call upon to monetise their livestock farming to benefit from the policies,” he said.
EAC TREATY
East African Legislative Assembly member Christopher Bazivamo said the planned policies would incorporate Article 49 of the EAC Treaty in providing an oversight and legislative role by representing farmers from the region.
“This will involve all stakeholders, from farmers to the private sectors, who will provide guidance in coming up with a framework of implementing the policies,” said Bazivamo.
The policies are aimed at complimenting the already existing national initiatives of the 11 countries, including Zanzibar and Democratic Republic of Congo, by addressing cross-border challenges. This includes livestock diseases, common custom units, genetic superiority of animals, as well as standards of livestock products.
Deputy Director of Livestock Production in the Ministry of Agriculture Rophin Nyange lauded the planned initiative, acknowledging that livestock sector contributes 12 per cent to the country’s GDP hence the policies will be beneficial.
“Almost 80 per cent of Kenya’s land is arid and semi-arid, meaning that ordinary farming cannot take place in those areas. The only option remaining is livestock keeping. These policies will synergise the positive agendas already in place for the livestock sector in the country,” said Nyange.
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