The County Government of Nakuru is strengthening its collaboration with the national government, research institutions, and development partners to promote access to quality animal feeds that will help boost livestock productivity and mitigate the effects of climate change.
County Chief Officer for Livestock, Fisheries, and Veterinary Services, Dr Michael Cheruiyot, says the livestock sector in the devolved unit is adversely affected by feed scarcity arising from erratic rainfall and recurrent drought due to climate change, leading to economic and environmental impacts, including massive livestock deaths.
Noting that the sector suffers varied pressures, including maintaining sustainable production systems coupled with the changing land use patterns, Dr Cheruiyot indicated that the county government had deepened its collaboration with the Kenya Livestock Commercialization Project (KeLCoP), funded by the national government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), to mitigate effects of climate change in the livestock sector.
Acknowledging that feeds account for between 60 to 80 per cent of the total in livestock production enterprises, Dr Cheruiyot disclosed that through the KeLCoP project, residents through public participation validated the construction of a hay store in Kamarus in Solai Ward, within Rongai Sub-County, to boost fodder production in the region.
The chief officer was happy that the initiative will play a critical role in enhancing livestock productivity by ensuring farmers get access to quality hay, especially during dry seasons when pasture becomes scarce.
“By reducing feed shortages, the hay store will help farmers maintain healthy livestock, stabilize milk and meat production, and ultimately improve household incomes,” he added.
Dr Cheruiyot said the county government is encouraging farmers to adopt drought-tolerant fodder developed by research institutions such as the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and Egerton University and, in some sub-counties, dual-purpose crops like short-term maize to ensure a consistent, high-quality local supply.
He said they were also promoting total mixed rations (TMR), which combine agro-industrial by-products to improve feed efficiency by 20 percent and reduce reliance on expensive supplements.
“Feed contributes to about 60 -80 per cent of the total production costs in a farm; locally available alternatives, if embraced and processed into feeds, will be a game changer to thousands of farmers in Nakuru, as their household incomes will improve significantly,” Dr Cheruiyot further explained.
Dr. Cheruiyot emphasized the importance of animal feed manufacture and storage infrastructure in building resilience among farmers, noting that proper feed storage was key to minimizing losses and sustaining livestock value chains throughout the year.
He reiterated that the KeLCoP initiative aligns with Governor Susan Kihika’s agenda of empowering farmers through practical, long-term solutions, adding that they were working with the national government and development partners in actively implementing a raft of critical initiatives towards addressing the long-standing challenges faced by the livestock sub-sector, such as limited market access, inconsistent supply chains, and vulnerability to climate change.
By creating opportunities for small-scale livestock producers to tap into regional and global markets, the county government aims at boosting the resilience and sustainability of Kenya’s livestock industry, he said.
He said innovation is key to spurring growth in the sector that has numerous opportunities that remain untapped, adding that various initiatives are being implemented to build the capacity of both public and private sector investors to produce quality feed, aiming for year-round availability.
Dr Cheruiyot stated that training programs were being initiated for farmers at the grassroots level to adopt modern, climate-smart agricultural techniques, including better feed management, and affirmed that they were working with relevant state agencies in stepping up efforts to curb substandard feeds in the market.
He observed that the livestock sector was a critical pillar of Kenya’s economy and rural livelihoods, contributing significantly to food and nutrition security, household incomes, and employment.
The chief officer, however, regretted that the productivity and resilience of Kenya’s livestock systems continued to face major challenges, including climate change, rising feed costs, and limited access to quality inputs, which he said were putting increasing pressure on farmers.
“Inadequate and unreliable access to quality fodder remains among the most persistent and limiting factors affecting livestock health and performance,” he noted.
The chief officer also said the devolved unit is actively strengthening livestock value chains through vaccination, infrastructure investment, and climate-smart initiatives to improve farmer income and production.
He stated that, supported by the national government and various partners, they were enhancing livestock value chains by focusing on commercialization, climate-smart practices, and infrastructure investments to boost income and food security.
Key strategies, he explained, include encouraging the formation of farmer cooperatives, reducing reliance on middlemen, improving fodder and water infrastructure, and implementing disease control for export markets.
He outlined the livestock sub-sector’s benefits as job creation, increased revenue generation, improved food and nutrition security, and enhanced sustainable livelihoods.
Dr Cheruiyot observed that innovation allows meat surplus and livestock products to be converted into other by-products and called for increased support towards the development of an ecosystem in the livestock sub-sector, where there is nothing that goes to waste.
He hailed the national government for supporting initiatives geared towards research, animal genetic improvement, investments in livestock disease control, improving access to the regional and international markets, and guaranteeing the safety of food based on animal origin.
Commercialization, he noted, can boost productivity by integrating smallholder producers into dynamic markets, expanding access to technology, improving infrastructure, and strengthening institutional support for sustainable and inclusive growth.
According to official government statistics, the livestock sector plays a key role in Kenya’s economy, contributing approximately 12 per cent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 42 per cent of the agricultural GDP.
Approximately 70 per cent of the ruminant livestock population is located in arid and semi-arid lands, which constitute about 80 per cent of the country’s land mass. These animals are primarily raised under a pastoral production system.
The chief officer also emphasized the need to improve service delivery in the subsector, noting that extension and advisory services, ICT platforms, and mobile advisory systems can bridge information gaps and support farmers.
Data from the State Department for Livestock breaks down the livestock population in the country as 4 million heads of exotic dairy cattle, 16 million heads of indigenous cattle, 24 million heads of hair sheep, 34 million heads of indigenous goats, 4 million heads of camels, and 48 million indigenous poultry.
By Esther Mwangi
