Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has launched an ambitious Sh10.8 billion Strategic Plan to modernise the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI), with the aim of strengthening livestock health, enhancing food security, and increasing Kenya’s competitiveness in the global animal health market.
Unveiled in Nyeri, the five-year plan (2023–2027) aligns with the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and focuses on upgrading KEVEVAPI’s infrastructure, doubling vaccine production, and expanding regional and international market access.
“Healthy livestock means healthy livelihoods,” Kagwe said during the launch, adding that the plan reflects the government’s firm commitment to safeguarding farmers’ interests and promoting national food security.
The initiative will see KEVEVAPI’s annual vaccine output rise from 35 million to 70 million doses, targeting critical livestock diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease, Lumpy Skin Disease, and Peste des Petits Ruminants. These diseases have long plagued productivity and hindered trade in the livestock sector.
Kagwe highlighted that KEVEVAPI already contributes significantly to the Kenya Wildlife Service’s revenue and supports about 75% of its operating budget. Under the previous strategic plan (2018–2022), the institute produced over 177 million doses and exported more than 11 million doses to neighbouring countries.
To meet international standards, KEVEVAPI’s production facilities in Embakasi and Kabete will be upgraded to comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). This will enable Kenya to serve key regional markets including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, DRC, Djibouti, and Mali.
“Kenya is a vaccine producer… the money will come from the business of selling vaccines globally,” Kagwe stated. “The modernisation of KEVEVAPI and increased vaccine production will ensure the safety of our livestock and public health, boost exports, and increase productivity among farmers, especially in rural communities.”
With the livestock sector valued at Sh235 billion and contributing around 12% of the GDP, the new Strategic Plan is seen as a timely and critical intervention. It aims to position Kenya as a leader in veterinary vaccine production and ensure effective disease control for sustained agricultural development
