Ancient 'ninja' could vanquish superbugs

Nominated MP Wilson Sossion tends to his goats at his Koibeyon farm in Bomet. [File, Gilbert Kimutai, Standard]

According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation ‘Africa Sustainable Livestock 2050’ Report (2017), as economies improve and demand for animal proteins increase, poultry meat and eggs are the single most important livestock products for which demand is predicted to grow by more than 800 per cent by 2050 in Africa.

On a global scale, 70 per cent of all antibiotics are used in animal farming and only 30 per cent are used directly in humans. With pressure on farmers to produce and sell more livestock products, poultry farmers often rely on antibiotics to prevent disease outbreaks in their flocks. Also, for decades, low levels of clinically important antibiotics have been administered to promote animal growth.