Department of Fisheries, Livestock and Veterinary Services – Duties and Functions

1. Veterinary Services and Animal Health Management

• Providing localized veterinary extension services to livestock farmers within the district to enhance animal health and curb the outbreak of diseases.
• Implementing preventive, detective, control, and eradication programs for infectious animal diseases to protect both livestock productivity and public health.
• Controlling the keeping, movement, and general routing of livestock within municipal boundaries to prevent the spread of disease.
• Enforcing the safe disposal or management of diseased animal carcasses, condemned meat, and hazardous animal by-products.

2. Livestock Production and Development

• Streamlining local livestock production and delivering technical farming extension services to smallholder and commercial farmers.
• Promoting animal welfare programs, proper rangeland management, and the protection of livestock water sources to guarantee sustainable feed and water availability.
• Enforcing standards and conducting grading procedures for live animals, livestock products, and by-products to ensure compliance with local quality regulations.
• Facilitating the adoption of modern technologies, appropriate equipment, and value-addition methods for regional livestock farmers.

3. Fisheries and Aquaculture Management

• Conserving, managing, and developing local fishery resources and aquatic water bodies in a sustainable manner to maintain healthy fish stocks.
• Regulating fishing operations, fish farming (aquaculture) setups, and protecting critical aquatic vegetation and fish habitats.
• Enforcing national and local statutory fishing closed seasons (annual fishing bans) to allow uninterrupted fish breeding and stock replenishment.
• Providing practical aquaculture extension services, technical education, and support to fish farmers across the district.

4. Veterinary Public Health and Meat Inspection

• Inspecting local abattoirs, slaughterhouses, butcheries, and public markets to ensure high standards of meat hygiene and food safety.
• Collaborating with public health directorates to regulate the commercial slaughter of animals and the retail sale of meat products to residents.
• Issuing movement permits, health certificates, and clearance documentation for animal products traded locally or moved across districts.
• Monitoring zoonotic disease risks and coordinating safety responses to protect consumers from foodborne illnesses.

5. Fisheries and Livestock Marketing, Trade, and Traceability

• Implementing animal identification and traceability frameworks (such as ear-tagging or registration systems) to track livestock origins and deter stock theft.
• Developing and promoting local market infrastructure, collection points, and trading spaces for fish, livestock, and associated by-products.
• Collecting, analyzing, and disseminating market price information to help local farmers and fish traders make informed business decisions.
• Facilitating linkages between smallholder producers, financial institutions, and agricultural cooperatives to improve market access and credit opportunities.

6. Departmental Planning, Budgeting, and Regulatory Enforcement

• Formulating the department’s annual work plans, strategic operational targets, and localized institutional budgets.
• Enforcing relevant statutory laws—including the Animal Health Act, Fisheries Act, and local municipal by-laws.
• Monitoring departmental expenditures to ensure strict alignment with public financial management guidelines and accountability standards.
• Compiling periodic performance reports, technical evaluations, and compliance audits for the council executive and central government oversight bodies.