Overview

Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries is one of the ten departments established to drive the agenda of the County Government for the benefit of the residents of Busia County. The Department accounts for over 60 percent of the country’s trade providing 80 percent of employment and means of livelihoods in the rural arrears.
The World Bank statistics indicate that investments in Agriculture have twice as much power in rural poverty reduction which is one of our key focus areas, as compared to any other sector. As a county we are endowed with adequate land and water resources with various agro-ecological zones, with potential to grow different types of crops, rearing several types and breeds of livestock as well as capture and farmed fish

Vision and Mission Statement

Vision: A leading County in food security sufficiency for sustained livelihoods.

Mission: To improve the livelihoods of the Busia County residents through promotion of competitive agriculture, provision of support while ensuring a sustainable natural resource base.

Our Core values include:

1. Poverty eradication
2. Gender and equity
3. Community participation
4. National commitments
5. Divestiture of Government commercial sector activities
6. Environmental protection

Mandate

Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries has a responsible authority over the entire value chain of the crop husbandry, livestock production and fisheries as a fully devolved function under Schedule 4 of the Constitution of Kenya covering primary production, input supply, value addition and agro processing, product and market development and marketing, extension and infrastructure including disease surveillance and control.

Achievements

Our achievements include:

Over 600 local animals served using improved semen
Dairy Strategy Development on course
Automation of AI reporting with the support of ILRI AVCD- reporting of AI service now real time
Veterinary laboratory operational for disease diagnosis
Over 100,000 livestock vaccinated against lumpy skin, foot and mouth diseases, Anthrax and Black quarter, Rabies
41 meat inspection houses licensed (36-private and 4-County owned)
Streamlined management of Busia County slaughterhouses
Over 5000 cattle treated against trypanosomiasis
7 crash pens revived and renovated through community participation
Establishment of two dairy parks in Teso South and Bytula
Distribution of more than 500 dairy heifers to farmers
Establishment of indigenous chicken production parks in Bunyala amd Teso South
Established 1 Aquapark (100 fish ponds) at Bukani in Samia Sub County
Installed more than 150 fish cages in Bunyala
Operationalized Nasewa fish feed mill in Matayos Sub County
Operationalized Wakhungu and Okerebwa fish hatcheries
Soil fertility improvement through soil testing and liming (ph meters and lime purchased)
Reduced pest damage due to pesticide provision
Low cost of land preparation due to subsidized tractor services
Improved food and nutrition security due to input support (seed and seedling)