Animal feed millers have been urged to expand the use of alternative ingredients in manufacturing of feeds.
This includes using sorghum as an alternative to maize, protein alternatives such as black soldier fly and high protein forage plants, as well as new grass varieties for fodder.
Livestock Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke said Kenya imports 60 per cent of the 55 million metric tonnes of animal feeds that it uses.
“Further, 70 per cent of the inputs used in local feed production are imported,” said the PS in a speech read on his behalf by the Secretary of Administration in the Ministry, Dr Joshua Chepchieng.
He spoke during a roundtable with industry stakeholders to discuss issues, opportunities, and threats facing the sector.
The meeting was convened by Lattice Africa and Larive International in conjunction with ASNET (Agricultural Sector Network – the agricultural sector arm of KEPSA).
He said this makes the cost of feeds vulnerable to events outside the control of actors in the sector.
“In the last few years, we have seen the war in Ukraine, and the rising dollar as examples of extraneous factors that have made animal feeds unaffordable for livestock, poultry and fish farmers,” he added.
Chepchieng said improvements in the quality of feed would contribute to productivity growth thus increasing jobs and incomes in the animal feeds and livestock sector.
“The high cost of feeds is further driven up by the competition between human food and animal feeds particularly maize and protein supplements,” said Agatha Thuo, CEO, Agricultural Sector Network.
"Constraints in quantity are rooted in the fact that locally produced grains are rain-fed. Kenya's erratic rainfall pattern thus results in highly variable grain production volumes," said Prof Charles Gachuiri of the University of Nairobi.
Association of Kenya Feed Millers CEO Paul Kamau said challenges in quality arise from weaknesses in feed formulation, analysis, testing, and enforcement.
He added that AKEFEMA is working with millers to improve standards.
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands Maarten Brouwer noted that livestock farmers from Narok and Migori counties have been enjoying better quality feeds at lower prices with resultant higher yields.
He attributed this to interventions funded by the Netherlands government, adding that investment and innovation in Kenya's livestock sector has potential for driving economic growth, improving livelihoods, and ensuring food security.
“Leveraging technology, sustainable practices, and strategic partnerships will contribute to the transformation and resilience of the sector,” Brouwer said.
Lattice director Joe Maye said there have been interventions to improve quality and affordability of feed through FeedTech Kenya.
FeedTech Kenya is a consortium of Dutch and Kenyan companies funded by the Dutch embassy.
The consortium has run alternative feed trials with 178 dairy, pig, and poultry farmers, disseminating best practices in feed production and management.
Maye added that the programme has trained 29 millers in good manufacturing practice and tested 75 alternative ingredients.
