Nyeri: The Nyeri County Government is urgently seeking 240 veterinarians to participate in an essential vaccination drive against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
According to Kenya News Agency, the county government, in collaboration with the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVDCP), had re-advertised a notice requesting applications from qualified and licensed veterinary and para-professionals. The deadline for applications was November 16, yet less than 30 applications were received.
Dr. Anthony Muguro, the acting County Director of Veterinary Services, expressed concern over the low number of applicants and mentioned that the county might have to ask its 50 veterinary officers to apply for the positions to fill the gap. The World Bank, the financing entity, stipulates that applications must be submitted through an official link, which may have contributed to the low turnout. The county requires 210 animal health assistants and 30 surgeons to operate across its 30 wards.
Participants in the vaccination exercise will receive Sh24 for each head of cattle vaccinated, with the county government targeting 104,000 cattle across the wards. The government will pay Sh110 per vaccinated animal, while farmers are expected to contribute an additional Sh50.
Dr. Muguro highlighted the county’s initial plan to train veterinary officers over two days before commencing the vaccination process. However, given the insufficient number of applicants, the county might need to proceed with the available personnel. The county aims to work exclusively with local officers to ensure familiarity with the community and enhance the success of the vaccination drive.
The county government has been working to boost livestock production by using innovative digital platforms for animal husbandry. In September, Nyeri launched a program to provide farmers with subsidized animal health and breed improvement services through an electronic voucher (E-voucher) system. This system, called the Animal Health and Breed Improvement Delivery Model, is similar to the E-subsidy fertilizer program, facilitating access to discounted farm inputs.
Dr. Muguro mentioned that the county is relying on this model to improve the delivery of extension services across the wards. The technical committee has developed guidelines, training modules, and an integrated e-voucher system to support the program’s implementation. Farmers must register under the E-voucher platform to access subsidized services like vaccination, artificial insemination, and animal feeds.
The program encourages farmers to connect with cooperatives, aiming to identify one cooperative per ward to distribute vaccines, semen, and other inputs. The animal registration process uses Muzzle technology, which employs biometric patterns of livestock snouts for unique identification, allowing farmers to receive e-vouchers to redeem services from approved Animal Health Technicians.
The vaccination process will utilize the Mifugo360 SuperApp, a platform for livestock registration, health monitoring, and traceability. This application includes modules for biometric identification, geolocation, vaccination data, and financial service information for participating farmers.
