The Government will provide Sh.7.7 billion to sustain the war on tsetse and trypanosomiasis, the Ministry of Agriculture has said.
CAS Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Lina Jebii Kilimo said the ministry will team up with donors to ensure the war on the vectors is enhanced.
She said the disease was also a threat to the tourism industry, as it risks travel babs against Kenya over sleeping sickness.
Kilimo said every family in Kenya depends on livestock for milk, beef and economic livelihood, hence the need to decisively deal with tsetsefly.
She was speaking today during the launch of a strategic plan for Kenya Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Council (KENTEC).
She said Government will map out all counties to test the prevalence of tse tse and other vector disease.
Kilimo said the insects have ravaged more than 38 counties, hence the need to establish current prevalence.
Kilimo said the Government will support fully eradicatiom measures, adding that all the gains so far are being lost.
She said reduction on funding had affected outreach programs in counties and said resources must be mobilised to ensure full control and ultimate eradication of tse tse fly.
“The mimistry of Agricultire will support efforts to eradicate the tse and trypananosomiasis in Kenya to safeguard farmers”, she said.
She said sleeping sickness is a major challenge to tourism industry and said the government will stop at nothing to clear the disease from the face of Kenya.
“Non of the counties in Kenya are safe. We must join efforts to undertake advocacy to the location level”, she said.
She urged donors to support KENTEC to ensure that the disease is fully eradicated.
She said the Government and donors will commit Sh.7.7billion to fund Kentec activities.
The CAS, ministry of Fisheries and livestock Lina Jebii Kilimo said eradication of tse tse fly will add value to live stock production and eradicate poverty.
Kilimo was speaking during the launch of a strategic plan by Kenya Tse Tse and Tripanosomiasis Eradication Council(KENTEC).
Kilimo said improvement of the quality of livestock reared in Kenya was a major concern for the Government.
“Livestock, like coffee and tea contribute foreign exchange, balancing up export payment” she said.
She said nearly every homestead in Kenya rarely livestock, hence the need to improve its quality through eradication of tsetse, which are vectors affecting livestock production.
