Kenya’s poultry industry is flying blind — Here’s why it needs a backbone

The smell of fresh manure and the cheerful clucking of a thousand hens used to be the music of my childhood. My grandmother, a small-scale farmer in rural Kenya, made a decent living from her flock. She would sell eggs and chickens at the local market, and every shilling earned was a testament to her hard work and the resilience of the Kenyan spirit.

But over the years, I watched her struggle. Feed prices would spike without warning, a disease would wipe out a significant portion of her flock, and cheap, unregulated imports would flood the market, forcing her to sell her birds at a loss.

Her business, once a source of pride, became a constant battle against forces she couldn't control.

My grandmother's story is the story of millions of poultry farmers across Kenya. Our poultry sector is a cornerstone of our food security and a lifeline for rural families, but it's flying blind. Without a centralized body to steer policy, enforce standards, and coordinate growth, we are stalling a sector that should be leading the charge toward food sovereignty, job creation, and rural economic transformation.

It's time to revive and enact the long-overdue legislation establishing a strong, independent Poultry Board of Kenya.

Kenya is not the first country to recognize the immense potential of its poultry industry. Across the globe, similar economies have leveraged poultry boards to transform their national sectors from fragmented and vulnerable to robust and globally competitive.

South Africa's Poultry Sector Master Plan is a shining example. While the South African Poultry Association (SAPA) is a private-sector-driven entity, it works hand-in-hand with the government to execute a ten-year roadmap.

This plan has led to increased investment, import controls on dumped chicken, structured support for small-scale farmers, and coordinated disease control. It's a testament to what a united voice can achieve.

In India, the government's poultry development boards have played a crucial role in regulating hatcheries, ensuring disease surveillance, and fostering innovation. The National Livestock Mission has even catalyzed rural poultry entrepreneurship, driving productivity gains while lowering the cost of protein for the population.

And then there's Brazil, one of the world's top poultry exporters. The government and producer associations, like the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), collaborate closely on biosecurity, trade negotiations, and sanitary protocols. A Poultry Board in Kenya could help replicate this strategic alignment across production, veterinary services, and export development.

Kenya’s Glaring Gaps

In contrast, Kenyan poultry producers operate in a chaotic environment that lacks structure and long-term vision. The consequences are clear and devastating: Unregulated imports are undercutting local producers, forcing them into a race to the bottom. Disease outbreaks like Newcastle and Avian Influenza spread unchecked due to limited surveillance and a fragmented response. Feed price volatility continues without coordinated grain supply planning or tariff protections. A lack of data and centralized market intelligence leaves producers flying blind, unable to make informed decisions. Overlapping and inconsistent regulations from multiple ministries confuse producers rather than support them.

This fragmented approach leaves our farmers vulnerable and our national food security at risk.

Establishing an independent, expert-led Poultry Board in Kenya would fill these critical gaps and professionalize the sector. Its mandate should include: Standardization & Regulation - the board would enforce production and food safety standards, including hatchery regulation, veterinary protocols, biosecurity, and traceability. Market Stabilization & Trade Protection - It would monitor imports, ensure safeguards against dumping, and coordinate domestic supply-demand data to prevent gluts and shortages. Research & Development -the board would fund and coordinate R&D in genetics, feed innovation, and sustainable production methods to keep the industry competitive. Farmer Representation & Advocacy - it would give a unified voice to poultry farmers in national policy processes, lobbying for tax incentives and subsidies. Crisis Response & Preparedness - the board would coordinate national disease surveillance and emergency response to outbreaks, aligning our practices with global standards.

The blueprint for success already exists. From South Africa to India, the evidence is clear: structured oversight and industry coordination can unlock extraordinary potential. Kenya’s poultry sector is ready, it just needs a backbone.

Let us not wait for another crisis to act. The time to legislate, establish, and empower a Poultry Board of Kenya is now for the prosperity of our farmers, the health of our consumers, and the future of our national food system.

Patrick Githinji is a seasoned public relations, marketing, and branding professional.