Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Senator Mutahi Kagwe has unveiled a Sh10.8 billion Strategic Plan for the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI), aimed at transforming livestock health and boosting national food security.

The five-year blueprint (2023–2027) was launched Tuesday in Nyeri and aligns with the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). It outlines measures to modernize KEVEVAPI’s infrastructure, ramp up vaccine production, and widen market access both locally and across regional borders.

“Healthy livestock means healthy livelihoods,” said Kagwe, emphasizing that the plan is a key pillar in safeguarding farmers, enhancing agricultural productivity, and strengthening Kenya’s position in the global animal health space.

The Strategic Plan targets a twofold increase in KEVEVAPI’s annual vaccine production from 35 million to 70 million doses focusing on critical livestock diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease, Lumpy Skin Disease, and Peste des Petits Ruminants. These diseases have long posed a threat to the livestock sector, trade, and rural livelihoods.

KEVEVAPI, which generates about 90% of its revenue internally and funds 75% of its operational costs, will channel the funds into facility upgrades at its Embakasi and Kabete plants to meet international Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards.

This will position the institute to serve regional markets in countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Tanzania, Djibouti, and Mali.

Under its previous plan (2018–2022), KEVEVAPI produced over 177 million vaccine doses, with exports totaling 11.3 million doses to neighboring states.

“Kenya is a vaccine producer,” Kagwe declared. “This investment will drive exports, improve animal health, and uplift rural communities.”

The livestock sub-sector, currently valued at Sh235 billion and contributing roughly 12% of the GDP, has been hampered by persistent disease outbreaks.

Kagwe termed the new plan a “critical framework” for ensuring sustainable disease management and unlocking the sector’s full potential.