KENYA – The nations of Kenya and Australia have entered into an engagement that will target the development of Kenya’s livestock industry in a meeting led by representative Ian Halliday and Harry Kimtai, the livestock principal secretary.
In attendance at the meeting together with Halliday was Brenda Wabule, the County Director for Australian Trade and Investment and Lewis Hirsi second secretary to Australian High Commissioner.
Kenya is keen on learning from Australia which has been able to grow its livestock industry into a multibillion-dollar sector which provides meaningful employment to thousands of people.
According to Meat and Livestock Australia, the Asia pacific nation is the world’s largest red meat and livestock producer with an industry turnover of $67.7 billion in 2021 employing about 428,000 people.
Under the partnership, the countries have agreed to collaborate in technology transfer on fodder production and the exchange of goat genetics to enrich the dairy value chain in Kenya.
The Kenyan livestock industry is a multi-billion sector as it contributes 40% to the agricultural sector which contributes more than 20% to the national gross domestic product, according to data from the MPC agricultural Survey of 2022
The survey further reveals that the sector as a whole employs over 40% of the country’s total population and more than 70% of the rural populace.
According to data from Statista, Kenya’s meat output has grown at an average yearly rate of 2.73% and in 2020, the country produced roughly about 250,000 tonnes of beef.
Kenya on the other hand consumes about 600,000 metric tonnes of meat annually with the per capita consumption being 15 kilograms per year, according to Kenya Markets Trust.
The current domestic consumption, therefore, surpasses the supply and the nation consequently resorts to reliance on importation.
Harry Kimtai encouraged the delegation to utilize the trade agreement priorities to invest in Kenya, a step that will elevate the country to a hub and gateway to other markets in Africa.
The partnership with Australia follows the Export Processing Zone Authority’s (EPZA) investment in a KES2.1 billion (US$16.7M) in a cattle export quarantine centre that is anticipated to benefit up to 6.5 million livestock farmers once fully operational.
The partnership between Kenya and Australia will thus help further develop the livestock sector which will help buoy up Kenya’s economy as a whole.
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