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"content": "guaranteed, rural incomes in these counties will be affected and more importantly, we will lose foreign exchange. We also know that 50 per cent of the entire workforce in the agricultural sector is found in the livestock industry. We also note that 80 per cent of the people in Kenya depend on the produce from the agricultural sector. As a result of not eliminating this stubborn diseases that have been around for a long time, Kenya loses not less than Kshs22 billion every year. I know that there are so many countries that have a demand for livestock products. Such countries are waiting for compliance with the international standard in animal health and food safety as mentioned and driven by World Trade Organisation (WTO) and also World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). If we address these problems, especially the diseases that affect animals by introducing disease free zones, countries such as Israel will increase their demand for Kenyan meat. Other counties include Egypt, Malaysia, Qatar, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Uganda and South Africa, among others. This is a huge market and if this programme is implemented, we will achieve full compliance; then we can guarantee that 75 per cent of Kenyan population will have their living standards uplifted through food and jobs. We may also be able to address the eradication of diseases that have been around for a long time. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, these measures that will be introduced by this programme will include disease surveillance in domestic and wild animals. It will also bring mass vaccinations of all livestock, diagnostic, residue monitoring and product inspection and certification of the same. If we implement this programme, it will take about five to six years to contain these diseases and our livestock products can be attractive like any other in the market. The result that will be seen will be unbelievable. Today we have notorious diseases in the counties mentioned such as lumpy skin disease, rift valley fever, contagious caprine pleuropneumonia, sheep pox and goat pox, tuberculosis, among other preventable diseases. These diseases have been around for the last 50 years. Some of these diseases had been eliminated earlier prior to Independence, but have since come back. Disease Free Zoning is a guarantee that is going to assist and block some of these diseases. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Vision 2030 envisages that from 2008 when it was launched to 2018, seven regions were identified and zoned to be the first areas to be addressed. Some of them are in the coastal zone. These include Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi and Malindi counties. There are other zones like Lakikipia, Isiolo, the larger Tana River, the South Rift and Central Kenya. Some of the areas where a large population of livestock is found in Kenya is not mentioned and even then, no single programme has been put in place six years later since the Vision 2030 was launched. Where I come from, West Pokot County, it is rich in livestock. We have over 700,000 head of cattle, 600,000 goats, 500,000 sheep, 7,000 camels and so on. I want to compare this with the coastal zone. They only have 600,000 head of cattle in five counties as compared to one county; 400,000 goats in five counties as compared to 600,000 goats in one county. The point I am driving at here is that we are putting our priorities upside down. We should be able to put these policies in place and take them to the right source and protect them. You do not go to protect a place where there are no livestock in the hope that when livestock comes from pastoralist region on their way to the market, you will go and save them there. That is not a solution. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}