The lack of adequate and untimely disbursement of funding for livestock disease management has made it difficult for Kenya to access lucrative external markets for livestock and livestock products.
Markets such as the United States of America, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and South Africa have not been accessible for Kenyan livestock products, as livestock disease management has not been adequately addressed due to the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) not providing adequate and timely funding over the years.
The introduction of the Veterinary Services Development Fund (VSDF) was therefore critical for the State Department for Livestock Development to realize improved delivery of national veterinary services.
According to the VSDF regulation 2024 draft, the purpose of the fund is to provide for the development and delivery of veterinary services, including the protection of animal health; ensuring an adequate supply of good-quality and safe food of animal origin; safeguarding public health; and protecting consumers from food-related health risks.
