KENYA – Kenchic Ltd, a leading poultry producer, has been acknowledged by the International Poultry Council (IPC) as the first African organization to adopt the council’s antimicrobial stewardship principles successfully.

This recognition underscores Kenchic’s commitment to responsible practices and aligns with collaborative efforts by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in combatting Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

Jim Tozer, Managing Director at Kenchic Ltd, expressed pride in the company’s long-standing commitment to sustainable and responsible poultry production. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with global organizations to contribute to a safer and healthier food supply chain.

“Antimicrobial resistance is a global concern, and we’re proud to join hands with seven other global organizations to combat this pandemic. Our goal is to contribute to a safer, healthier food supply chain for our consumers,” he said.

AMR, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), poses a significant threat when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve over time, rendering medicines ineffective.

This resistance makes infections more challenging to treat, escalating the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and even death.

Kenchic’s proactive approach to responsible antimicrobial use, as endorsed by the IPC, demonstrates its dedication to combating this pandemic.

The IPC recognized Kenchic alongside eighteen other private-sector organizations for endorsing antimicrobial use stewardship principles.

These principles, championed within the USAID-funded Transformational Strategies for Farm Output Risk Mitigation (TRANSFORM), led by Cargill, emphasize the judicious use of antimicrobials to mitigate risks, reflecting a shared commitment to global health objectives.

The international leaders recognized by the IPC, representing over 30% of global broiler production, include associations and companies from Kenya, Brazil, Italy, India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Colombia. Together, they form a collective effort to reduce global reliance on antimicrobials.

Jonathan Mueke, the Principal Secretary, State Department for Livestock, commended Kenchic for leading the way in antimicrobial stewardship, setting an example for the entire livestock industry.

Mueke highlighted the critical challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance and stressed the need for coordinated multisectoral efforts at a national and global level.

 “AMR is one of the most critical challenges facing our world today. It is a complex issue that jeopardizes our ability to treat common infections and puts at risk the progress made in modern medicine and hence requires coordinated multisectoral efforts at a national and global level,” opined Mueke.

Annie Kneedler, Chief of Party at USAID TRANSFORM Cargill, congratulated Kenchic for its dedication to responsible poultry production. She commended Kenchic’s commitment to sustainable practices and food safety, aligning with the objectives of the TRANSFORM Cargill program.

Established in 1984, Kenchic Ltd. has come a long way from its origins as a producer of day-old chicks to becoming a leading supplier of a wide range of processed chicken meat and further processed chicken products in Africa.

Just recently it renewed its Food Safety System Certification (FSSC 22000 2018 V 5.1- 2022) for its advanced processing plant situated in Thika.

The poultry processor attained its first FSSC 22000 certification in 2011 and has since been renewing it after undergoing a series of stringent food safety tests and audits

For all the latest food safety news from Africa and the World, subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.