Pastoralist communities in Elelea (Turkana East), Karoge (Turkana South), and Lokapel (Aroo) are set to benefit from a highly targeted livestock vaccination and supportive treatment drive, following a strategic new partnership between the County Government of Turkana and GENCO Livestock and Fresh Meat Export Ltd.
The four-year project aims to vaccinate and treat 100,000 livestock during its inaugural round, bringing essential veterinary services to key grazing zones that have previously missed out on regional vaccination campaigns.
Welcoming the initiative, Livestock Development, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Chief Officer Peter Ikaru stated that the collaboration directly aligns with the Governor’s agenda of strategic public-private partnerships.
Chief Officer Ikaru emphasized that the intervention fills critical gaps in animal healthcare, which will ultimately help establish certified disease-free zones across the county and safeguard local pastoral economies.
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To cement the long-term collaboration, he called for the swift drafting of a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the county and the private exporter.
According to the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Benson Long’or, resource constraints had previously locked these specific areas out of routine drives, making this targeted intervention vital. Dr. Long’or explained that Elelea, Karoge, and Lokapel were strategically selected because massive herds of livestock are currently concentrated around the major water and grazing points in these sectors.
The intensive 15-day medical exercise will focus heavily on treating and preventing highly contagious tracking infections, specifically Peste des Petits Ruminantes (PPR), Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP), and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD). Dr. Long’or also championed the integration of the One Health Strategy, urging GENCO Ltd to prioritize this holistic model to optimize grassroots impact by delivering human, environmental, and animal health services simultaneously.
GENCO Livestock and Fresh Meat Export Ltd Founder and CEO Doreen Gacheri thanked the county administration, noting that Turkana’s massive pastoral population offers significant potential for high-quality production capable of supplying both domestic and export markets.
Gacheri confirmed that the four-year project is designed to improve livestock productivity, enhance international market access, and secure sustainable livelihoods for pastoralist households.
Beyond funding the immediate distribution of vaccines and supportive treatments, GENCO Ltd will actively train local livestock keepers on modern disease prevention and animal health management. The CEO committed to initiating the formal MoU process immediately for an official signing ceremony in the near future.
The high-level planning session was also attended by Dr. Erenius Nakadio (Deputy Director of Veterinary Services), Valentine Chebet (GENCO Ltd Programme Manager), and John Ebei.
