Kenya Takes Africa’s Top Spot as Milk Production Reaches Record High

Kenya has overtaken Egypt to become Africa’s leading milk producer, with annual production rising to about 5.4 billion litres, according to the State Department for Livestock Development.

Principal Secretary for Livestock Development Jonathan Mueke made the announcement during the fifth Kenya Meat Expo and Conference, where he outlined government plans to transform livestock production into a Sh1 trillion industry.

Mueke said Kenya’s milk production had increased from about 4.6 billion litres to 5.4 billion litres, putting the country ahead of Egypt in continental production rankings. The rise has also been reported by other industry and media sources following the PS’s earlier remarks in June.

Official statistics show that Kenya’s dairy sector has maintained an upward trend. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics reported production of 5.33 billion litres in 2024, up from 5.24 billion litres in 2023. The 2026 Economic Survey later reported a further 3.5 percent increase in 2025, taking production to approximately 5.5 billion litres.

The growth has strengthened the economic importance of dairy farming, which supports millions of smallholder farmers and provides income across the milk collection, processing, transport and retail value chains.

Mueke attributed the broader livestock sector’s performance to government interventions targeting genetics, animal health, traceability and market access. He said meat exports had increased by 87 percent, from Sh8.9 billion to Sh16.4 billion, while dairy exports rose from Sh4.9 billion to Sh14.2 billion.

The government is also reducing the cost of improved livestock genetics. Through the National Livestock Breeding Programme and the Kenya Animal Genetic Resources Centre, more than 1.7 million doses of bull semen have been distributed, while subsidised sexed semen is being offered at significantly lower prices.

Mueke said Kenya had also exported livestock genetics to countries including Rwanda, Burundi, Nigeria, Mauritius and Sierra Leone, strengthening its position as a regional breeding hub.

Disease control remains another priority. The National Mass Livestock Vaccination Campaign, launched in January 2025, has vaccinated more than 18 million animals against diseases including Foot and Mouth Disease and Peste des Petits Ruminants.

The government is also advancing the Animal Identification and Traceability System, known as ANITRAC. The digital system is designed to identify animals and track them from production through processing, helping improve disease surveillance and meet traceability requirements in export markets.

For pastoral communities, the government plans to use County Livestock Investment Companies to improve collective marketing and access to finance. A Sh5 billion Pastoralist Livestock Business Fund is expected to support pastoralists in 21 arid and semi-arid counties.

The latest production figures, however, come as Kenya continues to face the challenge of increasing productivity while controlling production costs. The government’s National Agri-Food Systems Investment Plan identifies improved dairy genetics, nutrition and disease control as key areas for sustaining growth in the sector.

With milk output now above five billion litres annually, the focus is increasingly shifting from production volumes to quality, processing, value addition and export competitiveness. The government has been promoting quality-based milk payments and greater investment in cooling and processing infrastructure to help farmers earn more from a growing dairy industry.