By Milliam Murigi
Kenya’s livestock sector, already struggling with high production costs, faces an uncertain future as the country continues to resist the adoption of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Stakeholders in the animal feed industry warn that the refusal and slow uptake of GMOs is locking the sector out of global markets for affordable, high-quality raw materials jeopardizing the sustainability of commercial livestock farming.
“Animal feed is the single largest expense in livestock production according to a studies done by Tegemeo Institute and Kenya Dairy board. Yet feed manufacturers in Kenya cannot compete globally because they are restricted from sourcing key inputs particularly maize and soya on equal footing with producers in other countries,” says Joseph Karuri, Association of Kenya Feed Manufacturers (AKEFEMA) Chairman .
“The reality is stark. More than 90 percent of soya and maize available on international markets is genetically modified. These GM crops are not only considerably cheaper but also of higher quality compared to non-GM alternatives.”
Earlier this year, the Kenyan Court of Appeal reinstated a ban on the importation of genetically modified organisms and suspended related promotional activities, just months after a decade-long prohibition had been lifted. As a result, feed manufacturers remain constrained, relying on limited local supplies or costly non-GM imports—placing them at a significant disadvantage.
This has led to a severe raw material crisis over the past four years, driving unprecedented increases in animal feed prices that now threaten to cripple the livestock industry. Several structural factors compound the crisis. Kenya is a net importer of most raw materials used for feed production, which leaves the country exposed to global supply dynamics and price swings.
Compounding this, humans and livestock directly compete for locally grown and imported white maize, a staple food in Kenyan households; this competition places further pressure on availability and prices for feed manufacturers.
“The industry also suffers from a narrow range of raw materials to choose from, heavily relying on maize and wheat milling by-products such as maize bran, wheat bran, and pollard. While there are tariff benefits when grain is sourced from the East African region, rising local demand and the growth of commercial livestock sectors across the region have reduced the surplus available to the Kenyan market,” he adds.
According to him, if GMO yellow maize and soya meal the main raw materials for animal feed were permitted in feed manufacture and the relevant duty concessions applied, animal feed prices would likely fall significantly, all other factors remaining constant.
Apart from that the feed industry would be helped to redeem the business and those of their customers if they are able to source raw materials globally in a more competitive manner, including sourcing from countries that have adopted biotechnological methods, including GMOs that have been proven to be safe for use in animal feeds.
“It is worth noting that Kenya already allows the use of Bt cotton cake as a feed raw material, which underscores that some GMO-derived inputs are considered safe and usable,” he reveals.
According to Dr. Margaret Karembu, Director, ISAAA AfriCenter, policymakers should permit safe, science-backed GMO inputs and consider supportive duty measures to lower feed costs and revitalize the livestock industry, or maintain restrictions and accept the heavy economic toll on a sector critical to national food security and rural livelihoods.
She reveals that many food-secure countries with competitive livestock sectors including the United States, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and several European nations have used GMO maize and soya meal in animal feeds without documented adverse effects on animals or on people who consume livestock products from those animals.
“For livestock farmers, cheaper, better-quality feed would translate into healthier animals, higher productivity and improved profitability. Consumers would benefit from more affordable meat, dairy and egg products. With climate change, soaring food prices, and growing demand for animal protein placing additional pressure on Kenya’s food systems, the cost of continuing to exclude GM feed inputs is mounting,” said Karembu.
