Mifugo Ni Mali
Our objective is to reduce extreme poverty by increasing income for communities through training, mentorship and provision of business development grants.
Kenya’s livestock sub-sector contributes approximately 12% of the national GDP and accounts for 30% of the country’s agricultural output. Over 60% of all livestock in Kenya is found in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL), where it employs about 90% of the local population[i]. Additionally, the sub-sector employs 50% of agricultural labour and has the highest employment multiplier.
Livestock has the highest potential for reducing poverty, creating employment as well as contributing to economic growth. However, this potential is yet to be fully exploited. The livestock economy remains largely informal, lowly productive, underdeveloped and hardly attracts investments. Smallholder livestock keepers’ chances of rising out of poverty depend directly on their ability to increase productivity of their crop and livestock husbandry activities[ii].
Some of the key challenges hindering better livestock farming and trade include: undernourishment, disease due to open grazing and livestock movement methods, poor breeds and animal husbandry, past policy issues and inadequate financing. Climate change especially during drought seasons has brought about large loses of livestock.
Additionally most private sector and financial intermediaries have had little interest to improve livestock farming owing to low return on interest versus the investment made.
KCB Foundation is addressing these challenges through its Mifugo Ni Mali programme. This is a livestock value chain programme that targets livestock keepers in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) with a view to commercialising the sector and transforming it into a vibrant segment where livestock producers can realise maximum returns. This ten-year programme targets to reach producer organisations in livestock value chain in dairy, meat, honey and fish. The programme is currently underway in Baringo, Taita-Taveta, Narok, Kwale, Laikipia, Kilifi, Samburu, Tana River, Marsabit and Mombasa counties.
