Kakamega’s One Cow Initiative has received a major boost with the commissioning of a Sh3.9 million disease-control veterinary laboratory.
During the event on Wednesday, deputy governor Philip Kutima said the county is keen to improve farmers’ incomes.
Over the years, livestock keepers have complained about diseases such as anthrax, rabies, mastitis and brucellosis. They had to seek help from as far as Eldoret, Kabete, Kericho, or Nakuru. Most of their livestock died.
The fully equipped facility will focus on disease and pest control, and improve surveillance for enhanced productivity. It has been built at the the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation Kakamega compound. The county fully funded the project.
The One Cow Initiative seeks to improve lives of the poor. The county intends to build a milk factory in Malava. The lab will ensure better animal health to sustain milk supply. The second phase of the initiative targets 10 women farmers per ward.
“We’ve enhanced farmers’ access to AI services. Currently, 48 inseminators are distributed across the county, with 1,400 inseminations achieved monthly. We’ve procured motorcycles for the inseminators,” the deputy county chief said.
