Farmers Choice Highlights Kenya’s Growing Pork Demand Amid Production Challenges

Principal Secretary for Livestock Development Jonathan Mueke (left) and Felisters Gitau, CEO of Farmers Choice Limited (right), during the National Pig Value Chain stakeholder forum in Nairobi. (Photo credits)

By: Gladys Karuga 

Kenya is experiencing a growing gap between the demand for pork and the amount currently being produced, as more people continue to consume pork across the country.

Data from Farmers Choice Limited shows that each person in Kenya consumes about 0.4 kilogrammes of pork per year. This is still below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of 0.8 kilogrammes, but demand is expected to rise steadily by 2030 due to increasing urbanisation, population growth, and changing eating habits.

Speaking at a stakeholder forum on the National Pig Value Chain in Nairobi, Principal Secretary for Livestock Development Jonathan Mueke said the pig sector has great potential to improve food security and boost farmers’ incomes.

“The pig value chain presents a significant opportunity for Kenya to diversify its sources of animal protein while improving incomes for smallholder farmers,” said Mueke.

However, he noted that several challenges must be addressed to meet the rising demand.

“We must address key constraints such as disease control, feed affordability, traceability and market access to boost production and stabilise supply,” he added.

Mueke explained that issues such as disease outbreaks like African Swine Fever, high cost of animal feed, and poor access to extension services are limiting production. He added that improving markets, increasing processing capacity, and investing in cold storage systems will help strengthen the sector.

Felisters Gitau, the Chief Executive Officer of Farmers Choice Limited, also called for stronger cooperation between the government and industry players.

“Transforming the pig value chain requires deliberate and sustained collaboration across production, processing, markets and policy,” said Gitau.

She said tackling challenges in production, processing, and market access will help grow the industry.

“High feed costs, limited access to quality genetics and weak consumer confidence remain major constraints to growth,” she noted.

Gitau urged more investment in farmer training, better tracking systems, and improved market structures.

“We need to invest in farmer capacity building, traceability systems and structured market access to improve productivity and strengthen trust in pork products,” she added.

The forum is part of the National Pig Value Chain Development Strategy (2025–2029), which aims to formalise the sector and promote partnerships between the public and private sectors.

Planned actions under the strategy include training farmers, expanding processing facilities, creating awareness about pork safety and nutrition, and improving market access, especially for small-scale farmers.

Stakeholders noted that pork is a good source of protein and nutrients, and pigs grow faster compared to other livestock, making the sector important for improving food supply.

If these efforts are fully implemented, the pig sector could help increase household incomes, reduce the country’s protein shortage, and support Kenya’s overall food security.

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