Nakuru: 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.
According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. Cheruiyot noted that the sector suffers pressures such as maintaining sustainable production systems coupled with changing land use patterns. The county government has 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 the effects of climate change in the livestock sector.
Feeds account for between 60 to 80 per cent of the total in livestock production enterprises. Through the KeLCoP project, residents validated the construction of a hay store in Kamarus in Solai Ward, Rongai Sub-County, to boost fodder production in the region. Dr. Cheruiyot emphasized the initiative’s 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. The county government encourages farmers to adopt drought-tolerant fodder developed by research institutions like the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and Egerton University. In some sub-counties, dual-purpose crops like short-term maize are promoted to ensure a consistent, high-quality local supply.
Dr. Cheruiyot 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. Proper feed storage is key to minimizing losses and sustaining livestock value chains throughout the year. The KeLCoP initiative aligns with Governor Susan Kihika’s agenda of empowering farmers through practical, long-term solutions.
Creating opportunities for small-scale livestock producers to tap into regional and global markets aims to boost the resilience and sustainability of Kenya’s livestock industry. Innovation is key to spurring growth in the sector, with various initiatives being implemented to build the capacity of both public and private sector investors to produce quality feed, aiming for year-round availability.
Training programs are being initiated for farmers to adopt modern, climate-smart agricultural techniques, including better feed management. Efforts to curb substandard feeds in the market are being stepped up. The livestock sector is a critical pillar of Kenya’s economy and rural livelihoods, contributing significantly to food and nutrition security, household incomes, and employment.
Challenges like climate change, rising feed costs, and limited access to quality inputs pressure farmers. Inadequate access to quality fodder remains a persistent factor affecting livestock health and performance. The devolved unit is strengthening livestock value chains through vaccination, infrastructure investment, and climate-smart initiatives to improve farmer income and production.
Dr. Cheruiyot outlined key strategies, including encouraging farmer cooperatives, reducing reliance on middlemen, improving fodder and water infrastructure, and implementing disease control for export markets. The livestock sub-sector offers benefits like job creation, increased revenue generation, improved food and nutrition security, and enhanced sustainable livelihoods.
Innovation allows meat surplus and livestock products to be converted into other by-products, supporting the development of an ecosystem where nothing goes to waste. The national government supports initiatives geared towards research, animal genetic improvement, and investments in livestock disease control, improving access to markets, and ensuring food safety.
Commercialization can boost productivity by integrating smallholder producers into dynamic markets, expanding access to technology, improving infrastructure, and strengthening institutional support for sustainable growth. Official government statistics indicate the livestock sector contributes approximately 12 per cent to the national GDP and 42 per cent of the agricultural GDP.
About 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. Improving service delivery in the subsector through extension and advisory services, ICT platforms, and mobile advisory systems can bridge information gaps and support farmers.
Data from the State Department for Livestock shows the livestock population in the country includes 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.
Source: Kenya News Agency
