Kenya to implement digital identification system for livestock to curb theft and improve management

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe is spearheading the initiative, which aims to assign a unique digital identity to every cow, goat, and sheep. This system will record each animal's origin, ownership, health status, vaccination history, and movement, storing the information on a central digital platform. Animals will be physically tagged with ear tags or microchips.

The move is a response to increasing livestock theft and cattle rustling, which have caused significant losses for farmers and pastoralists across Kenya. Beyond security, ANITRAC is expected to enhance livestock management, strengthen disease surveillance, improve food safety, and facilitate access to export markets that demand verifiable animal health and origin data.