Kenya’s government ramps up livestock breeding efforts to increase exports

KENYA – The Kenyan government is expanding livestock breeding initiatives in Samburu County as part of a broader plan to enhance the quality of meat and milk destined for international markets.

During a visit to the Nomotio Livestock Improvement Centre in Maralal, Livestock Development Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke said that 2,810 Galana goats had been distributed to farmers under a restocking scheme aimed at enhancing goat production.

He explained that Kenya had secured access to livestock product markets in the United Arab Emirates following the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which is expected to create new opportunities for exports.

According to him, foreign buyers are willing to pay higher prices for Kenyan livestock and related products provided that animals meet international health and breeding standards.

Mueke stated that Samburu County would soon be part of a subsidised nationwide vaccination programme under the Food Systems Resilience Project, which follows a public awareness campaign encouraging herders to participate.

On security challenges, he pointed out that cattle rustling remained a major threat to pastoralists in the region, but said the government had introduced an Animal Identification and Traceability System known as ANITRAC to counter the problem.

He noted that the system had been piloted on government farms and would eventually be implemented countrywide to tag every animal with a chip showing details such as ownership, breed, weight, and vaccination records.

Mueke said that the technology would not only reduce theft but also support exports by allowing international buyers to verify the source of meat through an ANITRAC stamp.

As part of the same tour, he opened a water reservoir at the Nomotio Livestock Improvement Centre valued at US$102,000 (Sh13.2 million), which has a capacity of 20 million litres.

The water facility is intended to strengthen the local livestock economy while providing a reliable supply for both households and animals during prolonged dry periods.

Samburu County Executive for Agriculture, Moses Leluata, said that the county has allocated 11 percent of its development budget to livestock and agricultural projects, shifting livestock keeping into an income-generating activity.

He added that this allocation enables the distribution of 1,000 camels and 1,000 Sahiwal heifers every year to support livelihoods through improved livestock production.

Leluata further highlighted cooperation with the Kenya Livestock Commercialisation Project, which has trained 20 community animal health workers and provided veterinary supplies to local herders.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.