Livestock farmers in Kenya to benefit from new policy recommendations by ILRI
By Sandra Neddy
Livestock farmers in Kenya are set to benefit from new policy recommendations which are aimed at lowering the cost of animal feeds, a move that could significantly reduce the burden of production costs and improve their profits.
According to a recent policy brief by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya could reduce animal feed costs and improve the productivity of livestock by adopting several short-term, medium-term, and long-term measures.
In the short term, the brief recommends waiving or reducing taxes and duties on imported feed ingredients such as yellow maize and soybean meal. It also proposes implementation of subsidies for forage production and the use government land to support commercial forage cultivation
Additionally, it emphasizes the need for strict enforcement of quality standards in order to prevent the sale of adulterated feeds.
For the medium-term, it suggests diversification of feed sources by adopting alternatives such as black soldier fly, educate farmers on preservation technologies such as bale compacting and silage pits in order to mitigate seasonality. The brief also recommends cooperative models to enable farmers pool resources and access bulk inputs at lower costs.
Long-term solutions focus on investing in research about local feed alternatives like insects and agro-waste and infrastructure such as feed testing labs and rural feed processing and cold storage facilities.
The brief further calls for the creation of digital platforms for market monitoring, price stabilization, and traceability.
Challenges facing Kenya’s livestock feed sector
Kenya’s livestock sector plays a critical role in the country’s social, economic, environmental and public health landscape. According to a report by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), it contributes 3.8% to the gross domestic product and 17.3% of agricultural value added.
Despite its importance, the sector faces major challenges which hinder its productivity and sustainability.
“The key constraints in Kenya’s livestock feed sector are technical challenges such as low yields, poor equipment, inadequate research and post-harvest losses, which are compounded by market issues including fragmented supply chains and poor infrastructure,” said Joseph Karugia, principal scientist at ILRI, who led the review.
Chief among these challenges is the rising cost of animal feeds which contribute to approximately 70% of farm expenses.
According to the report, Kenya produces 46 million Metric Tonnes of livestock feed every year which is below the national demand which currently stands at 55 million Metric Tonnes.
This means a deficit of 9 million Metric Tonnes which is worsened by competition with human food needs for some feed ingredients and post-harvest losses. This leads to an actual deficit of about 30 million MT or 60% of the requirement.
This causes farmers to compete for limited supplies of maize, soybean, and forage. The result is increased feed prices in the country which is nearly three times more than what neighboring farmers in Uganda and Tanzania pay for animal feed, especially maize.
From the report, several factors contribute to the rising feed prices. Among them is the heavy dependance on costly imports and the farmers’ preference to grow food crops such as maize and beans for their own families thereby leaving little land for forage crops.
Post-harvest losses and poor storage facilities worsen the problem by leaving large amounts of hay and silage spoilt before they reach the market. Weak regulation has also provided a leeway for adulterated feeds causing many farmers to pay more for products of poor quality.
“The key constraints in Kenya’s livestock feed sector are technical challenges such as low yields, poor equipment, inadequate research and post-harvest losses, which are compounded by market issues including fragmented supply chains and poor infrastructure,” said Joseph Karugia, principal scientist at ILRI, who led the review.
What this means for farmers
If successfully implemented, these recommendations would mean more than just policy debates for livestock farmers.
It would mean more incomes for them because they will keep more of what they earn instead of spending most of it on feed. Affordable and quality feeds would also improve animal health and productivity leading to higher yields and increased quality in products.
By embracing feed alternatives such as insect protein and drought-tolerant feed, farmers will be shielded from market shocks or dry seasons. Additionally, strengthening of cooperatives would increase their bargaining power thereby making feeds more accessible and affordable.