Kenya prepares to launch Isiolo Export Abattoir to expand value-added livestock exports
Facility aims to increase exports of processed meat and leather while supporting pastoral communities.
KENYA – The Kenyan government has completed preparations for the operationalisation of the Isiolo Export Abattoir ahead of its official commissioning by the president later this month as part of efforts to expand value-added livestock exports.
The export facility is expected to support the country’s plan to move away from exporting live animals by increasing shipments of processed meat, hides and leather products to regional and international markets.
Senior Presidential Advisor on Food Security and Animal Production, Dr Dominic Menjo, said the project is intended to strengthen Kenya’s livestock value chain, create employment opportunities, and improve food security.
According to Menjo, the investment is expected to raise incomes for livestock producers across Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), where pastoralism remains a major source of livelihoods for millions of people.
He said the Isiolo Export Abattoir will provide a stronger market for livestock producers while creating employment and improving returns for pastoral communities.
Programme targets pastoralists and export growth
The initiative is expected to benefit more than 350,000 pastoralists through cooperative structures that will improve access to livestock markets, veterinary services, fodder reserves, cold chain infrastructure and agricultural extension services.
The programme will also engage about 2,000 agripreneurs to provide technical guidance and business support to livestock farmers across the targeted regions.
State of the industry
Kenya currently exports most of its meat products to markets in the Middle East, with sheep and goat meat accounting for the largest share of overseas shipments.
Annual exports of sheep and goat meat generate an estimated US$83 million to US$130 million, representing close to 90% of the country’s meat exports, while major destinations include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
Government data also show that Kenya exported approximately 17.4 million kilograms of goat meat to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in 2023, reflecting continued demand for the country’s small-ruminant products.
Beef exports remain comparatively smaller, generating approximately US$11 million annually, with Saudi Arabia, other Middle Eastern countries and regional markets such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo among the main destinations.
Overall, Kenya’s meat and edible offal exports earn between US$50 million and US$145 million annually, depending on trade volumes and reporting periods, with the government seeking to increase these returns through investments in processing infrastructure, improved market access and wider livestock sector reforms.
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