Policy Briefs

SUBMITTED POLICY BRIEFS 2022/2023

List of Policy Briefs from research done by academic staff in the Department:

1. Effects of Urban Effluent-Contaminated River Water on Male Reproduction by Dr. Kipyegon:

 Policy recommendations

1. Prohibit direct discharge of waste effluent-polluted water from households, farming activities or industries into urban streams and rivers.
2. Prohibit the use of waste effluent-polluted water for both animal and crop farming activities.
3. Educate and warn consumers on the dangers posed by consuming this water food items produced using waste effluent-polluted water.
4. Sensitize counties to provide purified water and approved sewage waste disposal methods to the urban informal settlements for prevention against dangers of EDCs.

2. Emergence of Tick-Borne Pathogens: Threat to Animal and Human Health by Dr. Shepelo:

Policy recommendations

1. Review the effectiveness and enhancement of the current tick-control strategies in order to control possible emerging tick-borne pathogens.
2. Regular surveillance for early detection of emerging tick-borne pathogens on disease[1]mapping and management strategies countrywide.
3. Collaboration between State Department of Livestock in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives with the Ministry of Health for regular testing of people who come into contact with the infected animals for possible tick-borne zoonosis in order to map out strategies for mitigation.
4. Regular surveillance of the tick vectors present in various geographic areas to strategize preventive measures against impending TBD outbreaks and for prompt interventions.
5. Enforcing regulations on movement of animals as one of the key measures to preventing spread of new tick-species from infested areas to other non-infested geographical areas.

3. Potential of small dams for production and preservation of fish in Sericho community conservancy in Isiolo County by Dr. Ndiwa:

Policy recommendations

1. Aquacultural and socioeconomic potential: Dams within arid areas have aquacultural potential that can be exploited in a sustainable way for the improved livelihoods of the local communities through income diversification. However, these dams have not been properly utilized for aquaculture. We recommend that as a matter of policy, that the dams be maximally exploited as a means of livelihood for the people.
2. Conservational significance: Dams act as dry season refuge for fish when the local rivers dry up, and can be used to repopulate the rivers when they start flowing again during the wet seasons hence the need for their conservation. We recommend that this purpose be implemented as a matter of policy to preserve the fish for livelihood mitigation.

4. Affective welfare improvement for dairy cattle in smallholder Dairy farms by Dr. Kimeli:

Policy recommendations

1. To make it mandatory for veterinarians and extension service animal health workers to train smallholder farmers on the five domains model that takes into consideration Internal survival-related factors (Nutrition, Environment, Health); External situation-related factors (Behaviour) and Affective experience (Mental state).
2. To make it mandatory that all the new graduate veterinarians are trained on five domains welfare model and existing veterinarians undergo a refresher on the same. This can be done in collaboration with Kenya Veterinary Board Continuing Education Programmes. This is aimed at enhancing dairy cattle welfare that will improve their comfort and ultimately result to enhancement of their productivity, reproductive performance and growth of calves.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

5. The most effective vaccination practice against bovine viral diarrhea infection by Dr. Muasya:

Policy recommendations 

1. Bovine viral diarrhea virus is still subtly prevalent in some regions of Kenya without being diagnosed or thought of or even asymptomatic; and may be causing long-term devastating economic losses especially in smallholder dairy farming systems. It is therefore prudent to implement formal occasional testing to establish presence of the virus in herds of dairy cattle in order to institute remedial measures. This will save small dairy farmers much unexplained economic losses.
2. Vaccination against BVDV should be established as one of the routine vaccinations for cattle in Kenya. The recommended vaccine should be a multivalent to protect from all the BVD virus strains.
3. Programmes for training smallholder farmers on factors that would improve health of dairy cattle should be put in place as part of the livestock sector extension routines. This would boost the protection prospects of the multivalent BVDV vaccine.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

6. Public health risk of Campylobacter species antimicrobial resistance transfer from puppies to humans by Dr. Mbindyo:

Policy recommendations

1. Conducting of awareness and educational campaigns by veterinary and animal health personnel as well as use of other appropriate methods to dog owners and breeders of the risk of Campylobacter transmission to humans and the repurcations including multi-drug resistance from the puppies to humans especially children.
2. Implementing a One Health approach in the investigation of Campylobacter species infections due to the close interaction between humans, animals and the environment.
3. Continuous monitoring of Campylobacter antimicrobial resistance and promotion of ethical antimicrobial stewardship practices in human-animal treatment.