In a pivotal move to address Kenya’s ongoing animal feed crisis, Perfometer, a prominent business development firm specializing in the livestock sector, has joined forces with key industry leaders to forge a strategic alliance aimed at overcoming the pressing challenges in livestock feeding.
David Maina, Managing Director of Perfometer, highlighted the urgent need for a coordinated approach among stakeholders to focus efforts on high-impact interventions for livestock feeding.
Speaking during a recent session led by the Principal Secretary (PS) of the State Department for Livestock Development, Maina emphasized the necessity of rethinking the financing strategies for fodder solutions.
He urged aggregators to explore raising their own funds to support localized fodder production plans, fostering increased collaboration between aggregators and banks to ensure sustained financing for livestock feed development.
Maina recounted the devastating effects of a drought two years ago, which resulted in the loss of 2.5 million cattle and extensive livelihood losses. He stressed that better planning could have mitigated the drought’s impact and prevented it from escalating into a famine.
His remarks underscored the need for enhanced planning and coordination among those involved in developing solutions for livestock feeding.
“Today, we gathered here to answer one question: how can we use the remaining period of the wet season to reduce the impact of a repeat drought and harmonize our efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of rainfall failure?” Maina asked
“The rising cost of livestock feeding, exacerbated by reliance on imported feed ingredients, has inflated production costs and hindered farmers’ ability to meet the growing demand for livestock protein, which is crucial for Kenya’s food security targets” he added
Supporting Maina’s call for increased governmental assistance, PS Mueke from the State Department for Livestock Development highlighted the critical need for a consistent supply of over 50 million tonnes of animal feed or 2.6 billion bales of hay annually. “Reducing the cost of animal feed is a top priority for us. It is essential for improving animal productivity and advancing commercialization within the sector,” PS Mueke stated.
The meeting was attended by representatives from influential organizations including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), McKinsey & Company, Kenya Development Corporation, the Association of Kenya Feed Manufacturers (AKEFEMA), the Fodder & Pasture Association, and the Land Commercialization Initiative. Their collective presence underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in tackling the multifaceted challenges facing the animal feed industry.
The strategic discussions and proposed solutions from the meeting represent a crucial step toward enhancing feed production, reducing costs, and ensuring the long-term viability of Kenya’s livestock sector. The commitment from industry stakeholders and government officials reflects a concerted effort to address these challenges proactively, aiming to foster a more resilient and productive agricultural sector.