This archive report was first published on 29 July 2019.
Kenya's Livestock Sector to Drive Food Security ¶
Kenya's livestock sector is set to play a crucial role in ensuring the country's food security over the next three decades, with the human population projected to double to 96 million by 2050.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the country's population currently stands at 47 million and is expected to grow to 96 million by 2050, putting pressure on food supplies.
As the population grows, the demand for animal-source foods is expected to increase exponentially, with the livestock sector transforming in response.
Between 2015 and 2050, the cattle and chicken population is projected to increase by 94 and 375 percent, respectively, with major productivity gains also expected.
By 2050, the livestock sector is expected to supply an additional 7.8 million tonnes of milk, beef, and chicken meat to the population, an increase of about 150 percent compared to today.
The country's animal population currently stands at 18.8 million cattle, 26.7 million goats, 18.9 million sheep, 3.2 million camels, 44.6 million poultry, 1.9 million donkeys, and 0.5 million pigs.
Cattle and poultry contribute about 70 percent to the total animal production, estimated at $1,622 billion as of 2016.
Beef is largely produced in arid and semi-arid areas (ASALs), where about 36 percent of the Kenya population live, while dairy production is concentrated in high potential agro-ecological zones where fodder and pastures are available.
The country has an estimated 43.8 million chicken, contributing 5.1 percent to the livestock sector, with the poultry sector producing over 35,000 tonnes of meat and 1.6 billion eggs annually.
Per capita consumption of livestock products is estimated at 16 kilogrammes of meat, 121 litres of milk, and 45 eggs per person per year.
The livestock sector turnover hit Sh146 billion in 2018, supported by private and county value chains, with small-scale farmer co-operatives increasing by 20.2 percent from 518 to 623.
These co-operatives collect milk from farmers for onward direct sales to processors, raising deliveries by 18.4 percent from 535.7 million litres in 2017 to 634.3 million in 2018.
Reacting to the report's findings, Livestock PS Harry Kimutai said the government was preparing new laws to support the dairy sector, which holds huge potential for growth.
The government is working on a comprehensive dairy Bill to address the challenges faced by farmers in the sector, as well as the opportunities available for increased and sustainable production.
The PS said the government would focus on improving artificial insemination (AI) services, including the storage of quality semen, with the State having acquired four liquid nitrogen tankers to supply liquid nitrogen across the country.
