Kenya is stepping up efforts to transform livestock farming from a traditional source of livelihood into a commercially driven export industry, with the government targeting improved water access, financing, breeding, traceability and entry into high-value international markets.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Wednesday engaged ranchers in Taita-Taveta County as the government intensified efforts to unlock the region’s livestock potential.
Kagwe was accompanied by Taita-Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime, Principal Secretary Juma Mueke and Labour Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime during the engagement, which focused on interventions aimed at improving livestock production and commercialisation.
The discussions centred on water availability, access to finance, markets and improved breeding, which the government considers critical to moving livestock production from subsistence farming to a competitive commercial enterprise.
A key component of the strategy is the Bachuma National Livestock Quarantine Centre, which has been handed over to private investor Blue Mountain for commercialisation.
The facility is strategically positioned to serve livestock-producing regions and will provide quarantine, inspection and certification services for animals destined for export.
The government said the centre would help Kenyan livestock meet international requirements relating to animal health, traceability and food safety.
Rather than operating solely as a quarantine facility, Bachuma is being positioned as a gateway linking Kenyan livestock producers to international markets.
The facility is also expected to create opportunities for private investment, employment and improved earnings for farmers as Kenya seeks to expand its presence in global livestock markets.
The government is also advancing the proposed County Livestock Investment Company model across 23 arid and semi-arid counties.
The model targets 15,000 livestock farmers in each county, with each farmer expected to take a Sh10,000 share. Under the proposed arrangement, the government would contribute Sh7,000 while farmers contribute Sh3,000.
The initiative could mobilise up to Sh150 million in each county and Sh3.45 billion across the 23 counties.
The proposed farmer-owned commercial vehicles would aggregate livestock, improve access to larger markets and enable farmers to benefit from dividends or bonuses generated through commercial activities.
The government is also relying on the Animal Identification and Traceability (ANITRAC) system to strengthen the livestock export value chain.
The system enables animals to be traced to their source, including information on their origin, vaccination and animal health history.
The government said traceability was essential for Kenya to compete in demanding international markets, where animal health records, disease control and food safety are key requirements.
In Taita-Taveta, national and county governments will work with ranchers to identify strategic locations for water pans and other livestock infrastructure to support production across the county’s extensive rangelands.
The emerging public-private sector model will combine private capital and technical expertise with Government support through infrastructure development, regulation, water provision and policy.
The government sees Bachuma as a key component of the broader strategy to commercialise Kenya’s livestock sector.
“Bachuma is more than a quarantine centre, it is a gateway to global markets, a catalyst for investment and a key building block in Kenya’s ambition to turn its livestock wealth into a competitive, traceable and high-value export industry,” the statement said.