Bachuma Livestock Centre Set to Unlock KSh30 Billion Export Market for Kenyan Farmers

The Bachuma National Livestock Quarantine Centre in Taita-Taveta is set to become a key link between Kenyan livestock farmers and high-value international markets as the government moves to commercialize the facility through a partnership with private investor Blue Mountain.

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mutahi Kagwe said the centre is intended to do more than provide quarantine services, with the government looking to use it to create jobs, expand export opportunities, increase returns to livestock farmers and communities around the facility.

“The centre will provide quarantine, inspection and certification services for livestock destined for export,” Kagwe said, highlighting the need for Kenya to meet international animal-health and food-safety requirements.

The facility was developed to provide a controlled environment for animals awaiting export and to support veterinary certification.

Government plans for Bachuma have previously envisaged the station handling tens of thousands of cattle and larger numbers of sheep, goats and camels annually.

Bachuma Targets Global Livestock Markets

The scale of the commercial opportunity was highlighted during the handover, with an offtake arrangement cited at the event as expected to create demand for up to 100,000 cattle annually.

An order for goats and sheep from South Africa was also put at approximately Ksh 2 billion, while the wider opportunity expected to be unlocked through the facility was estimated at Ksh 30 billion.

Bachuma will not be limited to animals from Taita-Taveta. The centre is expected to receive livestock from different parts of Kenya and could also serve neighbouring countries, giving the county a larger role in regional livestock trade.

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Under the planned private-sector arrangement, the investor will provide the capital, technical expertise and commercial management needed to operate and expand the facility, while the government retains its regulatory role.

This approach is consistent with an earlier government framework for Bachuma that proposed leasing the station to a private operator responsible for management, development, equipment and expansion under veterinary oversight.

It will also be supported by the Animal Identification and Traceability System (ANITRAC), which is intended to help track animals from their source while maintaining information on their origin, vaccination and health history.

That traceability will be important as Kenya seeks access to markets with strict requirements on animal health and the movement of livestock.

Government Plans Farmer-Owned Livestock Companies

The government is also working on the supply side of the export chain through a proposed County Livestock Investment Company model targeting 23 arid and semi-arid counties.

Under the model outlined by the government, each county would target 15,000 livestock farmers, with each farmer contributing a KSh10,000 share.

The government would contribute Ksh 7,000 while the farmer would provide Ksh 3,000, giving each county a potential share capital of Ksh 150 million and Ksh 3.45 billion across the 23 counties.

Companies are intended to aggregate livestock, connect farmers to export markets and allow them to benefit from profits through dividends or bonuses.

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The plan forms part of wider government efforts to shift livestock production towards organised commercial enterprises and stronger market access.

In June, President William Ruto announced a separate KSh5 billion County Livestock Investment Company initiative targeting more than 350,000 pastoralists across 21 Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) counties.

Water infrastructure will also be prioritised, with the national and county governments working with ranchers to identify strategic locations for water pans and other facilities needed to support livestock production across Taita-Taveta.

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Cs Agriculture Mutahi Kagwe and Livestock Ps Jonathan Mueke. PHOTO/ X