About 43 acres belonging to the Government-owned Meat Training Institute in Athi River have been grabbed.
This was revealed by Athi River Deputy County Commissioner Kodek Makori even as Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei announced a plan to upgrade the institution.
The institute’s principal James Karitu said the institution has over the years trained meat inspectors from Botswana and other parts of East Africa but regretted that several developers had encroached on the institution’s land.
“The biggest challenge here is that more than half of this government institution’s land has been grabbed,” said Makori.
Makori asked the Government to move swiftly to repossess the land.
The Cabinet Secretary said that land audit countrywide was almost over and that those who acquired land illegally must prepare to move.
“All Government lands meant for agricultural and livestock training or meant for exhibitions or field days that were acquired irregularly will be taken back,” said Koskei.
Speaking when he presided over a graduation ceremony on Saturday at the institute, he announced that plans were underway to upgrade the institute in order to increase human resource capacity to handle local and export meat products in the country.
“Plans are underway to fund the expansion and upgrading of this institute so that it can realise its full potential in the training of meat inspection personnel for the livestock sub-sector,” said Koskei.
More experts
The Cabinet Secretary said consumption of livestock products was on the increase the world over and that there was need for more experts in the field.
The institute was established in 1972 by the Government to train meat inspectors and offer diploma courses in Veterinary Public Health and Meat Technology in collaboration with the University of Nairobi.
Seventy graduands were awarded certificates and diplomas in meat inspection.
