Ministry pushes for insect-based animal feed to address protein shortage

The government is now pushing for the adoption of alternative protein sources in animal feeds.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Dr Andrew Mwihia said through the ministry, the government has embarked on a plan aimed at promoting alternative protein sources from various insects to address the shortage of feed ingredients for animal feed manufacturing in the country.

Mwihia said the animal feed industry has heavily relied on imports from neighbouring countries especially South Africa leading to unpredictable availability and contributing to rising animal feed costs.

The CS made the revelation during the inaugural Kenya National Feeds Emergency Response Planning workshop in Naivasha.

“Fish protein sources have become scarce as animals face competition from humans for the dwindling fish resource,” Mwihia noted in a speech read on his behalf by Professor Abdi Gulliye, an advisor, livestock and rangeland management in the office of the President.

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A 2018 study conducted by the ministry revealed a staggering 60 per cent deficit in animal feed, with the most severe shortfalls occurring in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).

According to official government statistics, the livestock sector is vital to Kenya's economy, contributing approximately 12 per cent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 42 per cent to agricultural GDP.

Dr Mwihia reiterated the government’s commitment to promoting livestock as a key driver of national development, aiding in food security, job creation, and income generation for citizens.

Approximately 70 per cent of the ruminant livestock population resides in arid and semi-arid regions, which account for about 80 per cent of the country's land mass, primarily raised under a pastoral production system.

The CS pointed out that the country is overstocked by around 100 per cent of its carrying capacity, resulting in low animal production and increased land degradation.

The situation he said, has been exacerbated by rising instances of drought linked to climate change, with the prolonged drought from 2020 to 2022 being the most severe in four decades.

This drought led to livestock losses estimated at Sh70 million, not accounting for losses in livestock body condition or ecological balance.

To tackle these issues, Dr Mwihia announced the government’s prioritisation of key value chains, including beef, sheep, goats, indigenous poultry, honey, dairy, and leather, to enhance productivity and sustainability within the livestock sector.

Current livestock populations include approximately 4 million heads of exotic dairy cattle, 16 million heads of indigenous cattle, 24 million heads of hair sheep, 34 million heads of indigenous goats, 4 million heads of camels, and 48 million indigenous poultry.

The inaugural forum, facilitated by the African Union – Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) through the Resilient African Feed and Fodder Systems, brings together livestock feed and fodder experts and other stakeholders.

Dr Huyam Salih, the AU-IBAR Director said Kenya, Somalia, and Uganda have conducted feed inventories and developed feed balances in the last five years, offering valuable experience for a unified regional response and managing transboundary actions.

The Kenyan government is in the final stages of developing a policy for land commercialization, aimed at making idle government land available to investors for production, significantly reducing the feed deficit and enhancing the country’s animal feed security.