In a bold step toward ending hunger and building climate resilience, Kenya is developing a climate-smart master plan to transform its livestock sector an economic lifeline for millions living in arid and semi-arid regions.

The initiative, announced by Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, underscores the government’s commitment to modernizing animal husbandry practices while ensuring food security and sustainable incomes for smallholder farmers.

“The livestock sector has played a key role in generating incomes and meeting the dietary needs of citizens living in arid and semi-arid lands. Hence, our determination to make it climate-resilient,” said Kagwe in a speech delivered on his behalf by Christopher Wanga, director of livestock policy research and regulations.

Kagwe was speaking during the launch of Practice for Change, a transformative $95.7 million (USD) program spearheaded by Heifer International. The seven-year initiative, running from 2025 to 2030, targets 625,000 smallholder farmers and herders across 25 counties. It aims to tackle persistent challenges such as limited access to finance, markets, and modern technologies in the livestock value chain.

The program will focus on key areas including poultry, dairy, red meat, and horticulture sectors that are crucial to improving nutrition and lifting rural communities out of poverty.

With livestock contributing approximately 12 percent to Kenya’s GDP, the government sees this climate-smart approach not only as a tool for hunger alleviation but also as a driver for foreign exchange earnings and inclusive rural development.

As Kenya braces for increasing climate variability, the push for sustainable livestock systems signals a major shift in how the country is preparing to feed its people, empower its farmers, and protect its natural resources.