The livestock sector in Kenya has the potential to earn the country significant foreign exchange if certain intervention measures are taken to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Kenya has had inconsistent export value performance in relation to livestock and livestock products in the African region. Meat and meat products, the leading exports, have been on an inclining trend value since 2013.
The country has experienced significant weather changes since the 1960s, resulting in increased variability in rainfall, extreme temperatures, and drought episodes, thus impacting heavily on livestock production.
Drought conditions manifested through high temperatures and reduced rainfall have diminished the availability of diverse, quantity, and quality of animal feeds especially in arid and semi arid lands (ASALs). This causes deficits in vital nutrients required for healthy livestock, thereby affecting the nutritional value of animal feed.
Further, certain livestock breeds may struggle to adapt to environmental conditions brought about by climate change, particularly traditional breeds, due to their genetic makeup. High temperatures also promote the growth of certain germs that spread animal diseases, making heat-stressed livestock vulnerable due to compromised weak immune systems.
Diseases in animals lead to trade restrictions, loss of livestock, decreased foreign demand due to infection, and reduced quality and quantity of livestock output.
Climate change also results in high livestock mortality. For example, the 2022 drought led to over 2.6 million livestock deaths in ASAL counties, while flooding affected about 15,264 households and 1,067 livestock deaths in November 2023, according to Red Cross Kenya.
The quality of hides and skins is also affected by disease outbreaks, significantly impacting on the quality of hides and skins. It may also result in lesions, scars, or other imperfections, making the hides less desirable for export.
To increase livestock adaptability to climate change, national and county governments could emphasize long-term interventions such as the development of a climate change action plan for the livestock sub-sector to support coordination and aid in resource mobilisation.
The government could also create aclimate adaptive breeding programme where which would create breeding strategies that prioritise livestock traits that are adaptable to changing climatic circumstances, such as heat tolerance, disease resistance and adaptability to various feed types.
Finally, the national government could promote climate smart agriculture in the livestock sector by investing in climate-resilient animal feeds, climate resilient infrastructure (use of drought-resistant water sources) to enhance livestock production resilience.
These interventions, among others, will help mitigate the effects of climate change on livestock production and enhance the export potential of livestock and livestock products.
The authors are policy analysts at the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (Kippra)
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