Kenya’s drive to transform livestock into a KSh450 billion industry will require more than higher production; it will also depend on safeguarding animal and public health.
Speaking at the Kenya Meat Conference 2026 in Nyeri, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development Mutahi Kagwe warned that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could derail the country’s expansion plans if left unchecked.
The government intends to raise livestock’s share of GDP from 12 percent to 20 percent and increase annual meat output from 527,200 metric tonnes in 2022 to nearly 990,000 metric tonnes by 2028. Yet, as export markets tighten food safety requirements, Kenya risks losing access to premium buyers unless it demonstrates responsible use of veterinary medicines and effective disease control.
AMR occurs when bacteria evolve to withstand antibiotics, reducing the effectiveness of treatments in both animals and humans. Kagwe noted that international buyers increasingly demand evidence that livestock are raised under sound veterinary supervision and that meat products are free from harmful drug residues. A single lapse, he cautioned, can tarnish a nation’s reputation and reverse years of painstaking market-access negotiations.
To address the challenge, the government is strengthening oversight by the Kenya Veterinary Board and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, while expanding capacity at the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute to boost annual vaccine output from 45 million to more than 70 million doses. Authorities are also accelerating digital animal-tracking systems that will enable full traceability from farm to slaughterhouse.
Kenya’s goal, Kagwe emphasized, extends beyond increasing export volumes. The broader vision is to ensure that products bearing the Kenyan name are synonymous with safety, transparency, and world-class quality in markets around the globe.