Feed industry calls for reforms to make animal food affordable

Feed millers are calling for science-based solutions to improve access to affordable, high-quality feed ingredients to restore competitiveness of the livestock industry across the region.

 Animal feed manufacturers from Kenya and across Africa have raised concern over the continued rising cost of raw material prices over the past four years.

 Association of Kenya Feeds Manufacturers (AKEFEMA) chairman Joseph Karuri noted that commercial feed prices have risen by approximately 30 per cent, increasing production costs and threatening the sustainability of poultry, dairy, pig and beef enterprises.

 “Today, most surviving manufacturers are operating at only 50 to 60 per cent of their capacity,” he said.

 Karuri said the impact on farmers is devastating because feed makes up the vast majority of their expenses.

 Speaking during a side event organised by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) at the ongoing AKEFEMA Feeds Exhibition and Confrence (AFEC), Karuri said the global market has plenty of feed, but there is a catch: most of it is genetically modified (GM).

 About 80 per cent of global soybean and 30 per cent of global maize are biotechnology products.

 While countries like the United States, South Africa and several European nations have safely used biotech feed for decades, Kenya’s farmers remain locked out.

 Although the Kenyan government lifted its ban on biotech imports in 2022, court challenges have kept the policy suspended. Consequently, local manufacturers cannot import cheaper, widely available GM yellow maize and soybean meal.

 The side event was on biotech feed and what opportunities exist for African animal feed manufactures.

 It sought to create awareness on how readily available and affordable biotech feed ingredients are, and their potential to reduce feed production costs. In addition to enhancing understanding of the safety and nutritional benefits of biotech feed commodities.

 "If Kenya and Africa want to build competitive livestock sectors, we must ensure access to safe, affordable and quality feed ingredients," said Dr Margaret Karembu, Director of the ISAAA AfriCenter.

 "If scientific assessments have confirmed these products are safe, their source should not be a barrier."

 She said two major hurdles stand in the way of cheaper feed: misinformation and local trade barriers.

 Karembu said GM crops have been safely grown and eaten globally for over 30 years, yet fear-mongering still stalls progress.

 "Misinformation has become a big business," she noted, calling for better public awareness to help people make decisions based on science.