From farm to fork: Inside Kenya's push to boost growing pork market

Barbecue pork ribs. [iStockphoto]

The pig value chain contributes approximately Sh19.5 billion, about five per cent of livestock output, to Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

It also supports around 1.5 million households in Kenya.

Despite this, per capita pork consumption remains low at 0.4 kilogramme (kg) per person annually, half of the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended level of 0.8 kg.

However, the sector has shown stronger growth potential, with consumption projected to increase by more than 125 per cent by 2030, majorly driven by urbanisation, population growth and shifting dietary preferences.

Against this backdrop, Farmer’s Choice Limited in partnership with the State Department for Livestock Development, convened a National Stakeholders’ Sensitisation Forum in Nairobi to explore ways of unlocking the sector amid rising demand.

The forum brought together key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors to assess the current state of the national pig value chain and identify opportunities for growth.

Some of the key challenges that were highlighted during the sensitisation forum included high feed costs, accounting for up to 70 per cent of production, recurring disease outbreaks such as African swine fever, and  limited market access due to inadequate processing capacity and gaps in cold-chain infrastructure.

The forum is part of the National Pig Value Chain Development Strategy for 2025–2029, which aims to strengthen public-private collaboration and empower pig small-scale farmers.

Stakeholders propose interventions which include farmers’ training, public education on pork nutrition and safety and initiatives to expand market access and consumption.

Farmer’s Choice Limited CEO, Felisters Gitau Mutugu, emphasises that addressing these barriers is critical to improving productivity, strengthening markets and building consumer trust.

She underscored the need for coordinated action across production, processing, markets and policy.

“Transforming the pig value chain requires sustained collaboration. We must invest in farmers’ capacity, strengthen traceability and food safety systems, and also expand market opportunities,” she says.

The company currently works with over 4,000 farmers and aims to double this number by 2030 while improving productivity across the value chain. She encourages more farmers to invest in pig production, citing its shorter production cycle and scalability.

Food security

The sector aligns with global Sustainable Development Goal two (SDG 2) on food security and nutrition, while also supporting manufacturing growth, employing about 2,000 people and impacting over two million livelihoods.

Through partnerships with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and county governments, the company is training farmers across the value chain and establishing Pork Knowledge Hubs to provide training and technical support.

It also plans to train and register 40,000 youth and women within the next 12 months. 

The company’s integrated farm-to-table model, anchored by its Rosemark Division in Limuru, focuses on quality, safety, nutrition, and traceability.

“We support farmers through improved genetics, access to subsidised feeds, technical expertise and structured market access, resulting in higher productivity and incomes,” Gitau says.

Livestock Development PS Jonathan Mueke, and Farmer’s Choice Limited CEO Felisters Gitau hold copies of the collaboration framework signed during the National Pig Value Chain Stakeholder Sensitisation Forum at Safari Park Hotel. [Courtesy, Ministry]

Principal Secretary for Livestock Development  Jonathan Mueke said the government is prioritising the sector to strengthen food security and agricultural productivity.

“The pig value chain presents a significant opportunity for Kenya to diversify its sources of animal protein while improving incomes for smallholder farmers. Addressing constraints such as disease management, feed affordability, traceability and market access will be critical to closing the supply gap and meeting growing demand,” he says.

Statistics from the Ministry of Livestock Development show that the pig industry is one of the fastest-growing livestock value chains in the country.

In 2025, Kenya’s pig population was approximately 981,182. Annual pork demand in 2025 was 38,500 metric tonnes, while production reached 23,000 metric tonnes, giving the sector an estimated value of about Sh20 billion.

Promoting inclusion

Smallholder farmers, who make up about 80 per cent of producers, face challenges including high feed costs, poor genetics, weak extension services, disease threats, limited access to finance, and dominance of informal markets.

To address these, Mueke says the government is focusing on five priorities: Improving productivity through better breeds and feeds, strengthening farmer capacity, enhancing market integration and value addition, promoting inclusion of women and youth and improving food safety, traceability and standards.

A government route-to-market study ranked the pig value chain highest in investment returns among major livestock sectors, prompting the development of a strategy built on three pillars: Production efficiency, market access and regulatory strengthening.

If effectively implemented, the pig value chain is expected to improve household incomes, reduce the national protein deficit and strengthen Kenya’s food security agenda, in line with SDG2 on Zero Hunger.

Beyond economics, pork offers high-quality protein and essential nutrients, while pigs have shorter production cycles and lower emissions compared to ruminants, making the sector important for both nutrition and sustainability.

Market expansion

Hamisi Williams, Assistant Food and Agriculture Organisation Representative for Country Programmes, says pork is currently underutilised in Kenyan diets, and there is significant room for growth as awareness increases and markets expand.

However, the sector, which is largely dominated by smallholder farmers, faces persistent challenges, including limited access to quality feed, inadequate extension services, and restricted access to formal markets.

“There is a need for integrated systems to identify farmers and deliver targeted support. Demand already exceeds supply, leading to imports. Expanding domestic production will be key to making pork more accessible,” he says.

Director of Veterinary Services Dr Allan Azegele, highlights regulatory and infrastructure gaps, including inconsistent enforcement of food safety standards, widespread informal slaughter and limited access to properly equipped facilities.

“There’s a high level of informality within the sector. A significant proportion of slaughtering takes place outside licensed facilities, leading to inadequate inspection and poor hygiene controls. This increases the risk of foodborne diseases entering the market,” he warns.

He cites traceability as a critical issue, “We currently lack a comprehensive system to identify and track pigs throughout their lifecycle, from farm to slaughter. This gap makes it difficult to manage risks and ensure accountability within the pork value chain.”

He also highlights limited veterinary capacity at the county level.

Dr Azegele calls for investment in modern slaughter infrastructure and stronger inspection systems to improve efficiency and food safety. He adds that compliance is more likely if farmers see clear economic benefits, such as access to premium markets.

James Wachihi Muturi, National Chairman of the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) Agriculture Caucus, identified breeding as a major constraint, noting the limited availability of pure breeds and the impact of poor-quality crossbreeding on productivity.

He says there are currently very few pure breeds in the country, with most pigs being crossbreeds of varying quality, which affects productivity.

“The introduction of artificial insemination (AI) for pigs is a long-overdue intervention and a key step toward improving productivity,” he explains.

Wachihi also stressed the need for efficient production cycles to improve profitability.