‘Superior’ meat and milk: Why Kenya wants to introduce South Asian water buffalos
The Asian water buffalo.
What you need to know:
- To ensure a smooth transition, the government has outlined a two-year pilot period.
- Controlled introduction will allow authorities to establish appropriate product standards.
In a significant development for Kenya's livestock sector, the government has declared the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) as a food animal, despite the species not being currently present in the country.
The declaration under the Meat Control Act, made through Gazette Notice No. 977 dated January 31, 2025, by Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development Mutahi Kagwe, marks the beginning of a carefully planned introduction of these South Asian bovines to Kenya's agricultural landscape.
Director of Veterinary Services Dr Allan Azegele revealed that the move follows years of preparation and international collaboration.
"This initiative has been in development since 2018 when Kenya and Brazil established an import/export protocol during the Uberaba International Livestock Show in Minas Gerais State," Dr Azegele explained.
The introduction of water buffalos is expected to diversify Kenya's meat and dairy sectors with what experts describe as a superior product.
"Domesticated water buffalo meat is leaner, healthier, and contains less fat and cholesterol compared to traditional red meats like beef, mutton, and goat meat," Dr Azegele noted.
"Their milk, which has a higher fat and protein content than cow's milk, is particularly suitable for producing dairy products such as cheese, yoghurt, and butter."
To ensure a smooth transition, the government has outlined a two-year pilot period during which only the Kenya Animal Genetics Resource Centre (KAGRC) and approved farmers will be permitted to rear water buffalos.
This controlled introduction will allow authorities to establish appropriate product standards and evaluate potential ecological impacts.
The move comes at a time when Kenya's meat consumption patterns have been evolving, with increasing demand for healthier alternatives.
Traditional livestock farming has faced challenges from climate change and limited grazing lands, making the water buffalo's adaptability and efficiency in converting rough fodder into high-quality protein particularly attractive.
However, the introduction of these animals raises environmental concerns.
Dr Azegele acknowledged that water buffalos require significant water resources and could potentially compete with native species for food and habitat.
"We'll be carefully monitoring any ecological impacts during the pilot period, though current assessments suggest minimal environmental disruption," he stated.
According to Dr Azegele, there have been enquiries from various innovative farmers dating as far back as 2018 who wished to import the water buffalos, leading to extensive benchmark studies, with technical teams from the State Department of Livestock and KAGRC making multiple visits to established water buffalo industries in Brazil and India between 2018 and 2024.
These studies, he says, have informed the implementation strategy, including necessary modifications to existing infrastructure.
Unlike the specialised slaughterhouses required for donkey meat processing, water buffalos will be processed in existing cattle facilities with minor modifications to accommodate their larger size. Mandatory labelling and identification requirements will be implemented to ensure product traceability and consumer awareness.
Addressing concerns about veterinary care, Dr Azegele reassured that local veterinarians are well-equipped to handle these animals.
"Water buffalos share many similarities with cattle, including susceptibility to common diseases. Our veterinarians will receive additional hands-on experience during the pilot phase," he explained.
A decision like this requires public participation and the government says it has done that already.
"The initiative has already undergone public participation, with stakeholder consultations held at the Naivasha Dairy Training Institute in March 2024. The government will make minor adjustments to existing Animal Health and Disease Control regulations, as well as meat safety standards, over the two-year pilot period," says Dr Azegele.
In 2012, Kenya became the first African country to legalise donkey slaughter for meat and skin, leading to the establishment of four specialised slaughterhouses by 2016: Goldox Kenya Ltd (Mogotio), Star Brilliant (Naivasha), Silzha Ltd (Turkana), and Fuhai Trading Company (Machakos).
However, unlike the planned introduction of water buffalos, the donkey meat industry faced significant challenges.
By February 2020, the government banned donkey slaughter due to concerns about the rapidly declining donkey population, which threatened the livelihoods of communities dependent on donkeys for transport and farming.
The ban came after studies showed Kenya's donkey population had plummeted from 1.8 million in 2009 to about 600,000 by 2019.
Kenya's relationship with game meat consumption has evolved significantly since independence.
Until 2004, game meat was widely available in butcheries and restaurants across Kenya. However, a ban on game meat trade and consumption was implemented that year due to concerns about illegal bush meat trade and its impact on wildlife conservation.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) had previously licensed specific entities to supply game meat from farmed animals such as crocodiles and ostriches.
These operations required strict licensing and adherence to both wildlife conservation laws and meat control regulations.
Currently, legal game meat in Kenya comes primarily from licensed game farms and ranches. The Game Meat Act stipulates specific conditions for game farming, including mandatory licensing by both KWS and veterinary authorities, regular inspections of farming facilities, strict disease surveillance protocols and specific slaughter and processing requirements.
Crocodile farming is practised in several places across the country.
Several facilities, including the Nile Crocodile Lake in Mombasa and various crocodile farms around Lake Victoria, operate under strict regulations. These farms must comply with both the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act and the Meat Control Act.
Similarly, ostrich farming gained popularity in the 1990s, requiring amendments to existing livestock regulations. The Meat Control (Local Slaughterhouses) Regulations had to be modified to accommodate the unique requirements of ostrich slaughter and processing.
The regulatory framework for new food animals typically involves multiple agencies: the State Department of Livestock for overall policy direction, the Department of Veterinary Services for health and safety standards, Kenya Bureau of Standards for product specifications, the National Environmental Management Authority for environmental impact assessments and the Kenya Wildlife Service when dealing with previously wild species.
