Vet calls for crackdown on fake animal feeds, semen

Njeri Gatheca from Naiposha dairy farm in Naivasha feeds dairy cattle with hay amid an increase in prices of livestock feed by over 50 percent in the last two years. [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

The Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA) has welcomed the ongoing crackdown on illicit drugs and fake fertiliser in the country.

KVA now wants the crackdown extended to fake animal feeds and semen.

Dr Kelvin Osore who is eyeing the KVA chairmanship position regretted that the infiltration of fake fertiliser and drugs in the market ends up affecting consumers and the farmer.

He said there is a need to equip the  Kenya Veterinary Board (KVB) and the Kenya Veterinary Medicines Directorate (KVMD) to enforce the law on fake drugs, animal feeds and semen.

“The crackdown is long overdue, as veterinary experts we acknowledge that we have had a misuse of veterinary drugs in the country but for sustained efforts and success in this fight, the government needs to track and involve the KVB and the KVMD to implement the regulations but it should not be an avenue to harass pharmacists,” he said.

Dr Osore said fake fertiliser is a ticking time bomb that would endanger the country's food security agenda and warned over rampant supply of fake animal feeds and semen in the market.

“As a country, we are grappling with food insecurity, we are importing a lot of our maize, rice and other cereals and so for nefarious characters to sit down and sell sand to farmers is the height of economic sabotage, so whoever has been involved we hope that the government will follow up and ensure that the right punishment is meted out,” he said.

He said the Kenya Bureau of Standards and KVMD need to be empowered to execute their mandate effectively. 

Osore called on the government to employ more veterinary officers and pay them well.

“In the animal resources industry, we have a lot of fake animal feed circulating in the market and farmers are bearing the brunt. In addition, we have a lot of fake semen that farmers can hardly differentiate between the premium products and the counterfeit ones in the market. We have a lot of fake vaccines and antibiotics in the market,” he said.

He promised to initiate radical reforms at KVA to safeguard the welfare of members if elected chairman.

“I want to focus on ensuring that the welfare of vets is well taken care of and how we can use science to improve the livelihood of the country. We shall also set up our veterinary resource centre that will change the profession for the better,” he said.