Garissa Governor Nathif Jama has called for greater investment in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) to unlock the country’s potential to become a major global meat exporter.
The governor was the keynote speaker during the 5th Kenya Meat Expo & Conference held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on Wednesday.
Governor Jama said the country’s meat export ambitions must begin with the ASAL counties, which host about 70 per cent of Kenya’s livestock.
The Chair of the ASAL Committee of the Council of Governors said ASAL counties are at the heart of Kenya’s livestock economy and form the foundation of its meat export potential.
He said Kenya must move beyond exporting live animals and instead capture more value through livestock aggregation, modern meat processing, cold-chain infrastructure, traceability, Halal certification and access to premium regional and international markets.
“This requires deliberate investment in water and climate resilience, animal health, livestock identification and traceability, modern abattoirs, feed and finishing systems, logistics and export market development,” Jama said.
He also called for stronger collaboration between the National and County Governments, alongside increased private-sector investment in the livestock and meat value chain.
Jama said ASAL counties should no longer be viewed merely as sources of livestock, but as the production, aggregation and value-addition backbone of Kenya’s meat export industry.
The conference, held under the theme “Accelerating Sustainable Growth: Empowering the Next Generation in the Meat Value Chain,” brought together key stakeholders from across Kenya’s meat industry.
Jama said unlocking the sector’s full potential would increase Kenya’s exports while creating employment, empowering pastoralist communities, attracting investment and ensuring that a greater share of livestock-generated value remains within local communities.
Garissa County’s economy remains firmly anchored on livestock production and continues to rank among the country’s leading livestock economies, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Gross County Product report.
The report indicates that Garissa had an estimated population of 948,974 people in 2024, up from 841,353 recorded during the 2019 national census.
Despite its vast land area of 44,736 square kilometres, the county has a population density of just 19 people per square kilometre, reflecting its expansive pastoral landscape.
Livestock production dominates the county’s economy and remains its backbone. The report shows that Garissa registered 89,212 livestock farmers in 2023, the highest number in the country.
