By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
Kenya, July 8, 2026 - Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has warned that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is threatening Kenya's international meat market, warning that the growing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance could undermine the country's access to export markets.
Speaking during the opening of the Kenya Meat Conference 2026 in Nyeri, Kagwe said that AMR is threatening livestock production in the country and globally, prompting international markets to conduct thorough testing for antimicrobial residues and responsible veterinary drug use on imported animal products.
Kenya has been ranked among countries that have been significantly affected by AMR, which has been associated with 5.5 million deaths of animals globally, according to the CS. The growing threat of AMR is being catalysed by the misuse of veterinary medicines.
Kagwe, who described the issue as an economic and security challenge, said that the government is ramping up efforts to ensure that the veterinary medicines remain strictly under the supervision of licensed veterinary professionals.
"If left unchecked, antimicrobial resistance threatens not only human health but also Kenya's livestock exports. A single failure can close markets, destroy years of negotiations and damage the reputation of an entire country," CS Kagwe said.
“Antimicrobial resistance should now be viewed as a national security issue, a food security issue, a public health concern and ultimately an economic competitiveness issue that demands coordinated national action,” he added.
By curbing AMR, Kagwe is confident that Kenya will reposition itself as one of the continent’s most trusted exporters of premium livestock and meat products.
The government seeks to increase livestock's contribution to the country's Gross Domestic Product, and doubling annual meat production to almost 990,000 metric tonnes by 2028, generating an estimated KSh450 billion annually for the economy.
“Global meat buyers no longer purchase meat alone but increasingly demand confidence, traceability, food safety, disease-free production systems and consistency. They purchase trust. That trust must now become Kenya's greatest export," he said.
According to Kagwe, the government will leverage other strategies, especially digitisation of the livestock sector, to ensure stronger veterinary regulation and enhanced compliance systems aimed at guaranteeing international compliance.
The government is particularly fast-tracking the implementation of the Livestock Identification and Traceability System (LITS) together with the Animal Identification and Traceability System (ANITRAC) to ensure every animal can be identified, tracked and certified throughout the production chain.
The government is also increasing its investment in the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI) to increase annual vaccine production from approximately 45 million doses to more than 70 million doses, reducing reliance on imported vaccines.
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