Principal Secretary for Livestock Development Jonathan Mueke has clarified that the government’s interest in introducing buffalo farming in Kenya is focused on domesticated water buffaloes rather than wild buffaloes found in national parks.
Mueke said the proposed breed is the Murrah buffalo from India, known for producing milk with high fat content suitable for processing into premium dairy products.
“We are not going for the wild buffalo that are out in the national park. This is a domesticated buffalo formerly known as a water buffalo, and the specific breed we are looking at from India is the Murrah breed,” Mueke said.
He explained that the milk produced by the breed could support the production of higher-value dairy products, including butter, cheese, yoghurt and ghee.
According to the Principal Secretary, the milk’s high fat content makes it suitable for processing into a range of dairy products that could create additional value for farmers and the dairy industry.
The proposal signals an interest in diversifying Kenya’s dairy production beyond conventional cattle farming, although further details on the planned introduction of the breed, its implementation and the expected benefits to farmers were not provided in the remarks.
