Kenya moves to establish national animal feed reserves to curb drought losses

KENYA – The government of Kenya will establish national animal feed reserves in a bid to shield the livestock sector and pastoralist livelihoods from recurring droughts that have previously wiped out more than 2.5 million animals and caused economic losses exceeding Sh50 billion (about US$312 million).

The move was announced by Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Sen. Mutahi Kagwe during the launch of the Emkitha Dairy Cooperative Union in Embu County, where he said drought is no longer an occasional emergency but a recurring reality that demands long-term preparedness rather than crisis response.

“Drought is no longer an emergency; it is a recurring reality. We must act before losses occur,” Kagwe said, noting that the most recent drought cycle devastated arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), eroding pastoralist incomes, food security and rural economies.

Under the new strategy, the government will create strategic animal feed reserves made up of hay, silage and other drought-tolerant fodder. 

These will be stocked during periods of surplus and deployed early in dry spells, guided by early warning systems designed to trigger timely intervention before livestock conditions deteriorate.

County governments will take the lead in feed planning, stocking and distribution, while the national government will provide coordination, funding and technical support. 

Farmer cooperatives will serve as last-mile delivery agents to ensure feed reaches livestock owners quickly, reducing animal deaths and distress sales that often accompany prolonged droughts.

“Counties understand their local needs best, while cooperatives provide an efficient channel to reach farmers on the ground,” Kagwe said. “This partnership will help us save animals and livelihoods.”

The feed reserves programme forms part of a broader livestock resilience package that also includes tighter controls on livestock movement to curb the spread of transboundary animal diseases, intensified vaccination campaigns against illnesses such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and anthrax, and strengthened biosecurity at livestock checkpoints.

Boosting dairy productivity and cutting feed deficits

At the same event, Kagwe urged dairy farmers to prioritise productivity gains through improved feeding and herd management rather than expanding herd sizes. 

Embu County currently produces about 101.3 million litres of milk annually, but average productivity remains low at around eight litres per cow per day.

“With proper feeding and good management, there is no reason productivity cannot improve significantly,” he said, adding that output could more than triple with better nutrition and stronger cooperative coordination.

To support this push, the government has approved additional funding for the installation of more milk coolers in Embu County, aimed at reducing post-harvest losses, improving milk quality and supporting quality-based payment systems.

Kagwe said the combined strategy, anchored on feed reserves, disease control, cooperative-led delivery and cold-chain expansion, is designed to end reactive drought responses, safeguard pastoralist incomes and strengthen national food security in the face of increasingly frequent climate shocks.

Persistent feed shortages create massive deficit 

The initiative comes against the backdrop of a severe national feed shortage. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya faces an annual livestock feed deficit of about 33 million tonnes. 

Livestock Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke said the country requires roughly 55 million tonnes of feed each year, yet only about 40 per cent of this demand is currently met.

Of the 22 million tonnes produced, an estimated 46.3 per cent is lost post-harvest due to poor storage. 

To address the gap, Mueke said the government plans to establish feed storage hubs in every county and has invested more than Sh55 billion (about US$344 million) over the past two years to boost local feed production, cut imports and strengthen resilience to drought, climate variability and global shocks.

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