Nairobi — At least 4,500 new workers are needed to reduce staff shortage at the ministry of Livestock Development.

Kenya Veterinary Association vice chairman Christopher Wanga said the ministry had a shortage of 1,500 doctors and 3,000 technical staff in various departments.

He spoke at the end of a four-day conference on tsetse flies and trypanosomiasis at Kenya Agricultural Research Institute in Mtwapa Kilifi district.

The 3,000 technical staff include meat inspectors, experts in hides and skins and field officers who will visit farms and advice farmers on disease control and better livestock keeping methods.

"Kenya will not realise industrialisation without a stable livestock sector unlike Somalia and Uganda where the sector brings a lot of income to citizens," Dr Wanga said.

Mid this year, the ministry employed 500 veterinary doctors, but according to Dr Wanga, there are more vacancies waiting to be filled.