Preamble
The Kenyan administration has announced plans to fast-track the sourcing of improved breeds of camels and domesticated water buffaloes to help address Kenya’s persistent milk shortage. The suggestion sparked widespread tongue-in-cheek reactions across social media, given the public’s familiarity with the notoriously aggressive wild African buffalo. Kenya gazetted the domesticated water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) as a food animal under Gazette Notice No. 977 under the Meat Control Act (Cap. 356) on 31st January 2025. The Ministry of Agriculture has completed the veterinary standards process required to safely import live animals (specifically
high-yielding dairy breeds like the Murrah buffalo) from India under a government-to government framework.
Speaking during the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Summit at the Jamhuri Park ASK Showgrounds in Nairobi, the President urged stakeholders to diversify the country’s dairy production. Held under the theme “Advancing Food Sovereignty, Job Creation, and Shared Prosperity through Agricultural Technology, Innovation, and Policy Dialogue,” the event brought together government officials, private sector leaders, innovators, and development partners.
The directive comes as local processors continue to struggle with erratic raw milk
supplies. Kenya’s dairy industry has traditionally focused on increasing milk output through improved cattle genetics, better feeding and stronger farm management. A different opportunity is now emerging: could Kenya create more value from milk by diversifying the species it farms and the products it produces?
In India and Pakistan, water buffaloes are central to established dairy industries. In Italy, buffalo milk supports a specialised cheese industry built around Mozzarella di Bufala Campana. Egypt also has a long-standing buffalo dairy sector. These examples show that buffalo milk is not an experimental product globally. However, commercial success elsewhere does not guarantee that the same production systems or economics will work in Kenya.
The investment question is whether domesticated dairy water buffaloes can generate competitive returns under Kenyan conditions after accounting for animal acquisition, feed, water, cooling, veterinary care, reproduction, processing and market development. The answer will depend on more than milk yield. It will depend on whether Kenya can build a reliable production system and develop a market that pays for the distinctive characteristics of buffalo milk.
