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African ministers are pushing livestock investment, regional trade and value-chain reforms to reduce the continent’s $70–$100 billion annual food import bill.
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Africa has about one-fifth of the world’s cattle but produces only five per cent of global milk, exposing a major productivity gap.
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Demand for animal-source foods could rise 280 per cent by 2050, creating a major market for African producers and investors.
September 04, (THEWILL) — African agriculture and livestock ministers have called for increased investment, stronger regional trade and better value chains to unlock the continent’s livestock potential and reduce dependence on food imports.
The ministers and representatives from eight African countries made the call at a livestock ministerial roundtable during the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.
The discussions focused on financing, livestock productivity, market expansion and creating conditions capable of attracting private investment across livestock value chains.
Africa faces huge livestock productivity gap
Africa spends an estimated $70 billion to $100 billion annually on food imports despite its substantial agricultural resources.
The continent accounts for about one-fifth of the world’s cattle but produces only about five per cent of global milk output, highlighting the gap between livestock resources and productivity.
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Director-General, Appolinaire Djikeng, said closing the gap between production and imports could help unlock Africa’s estimated $1 trillion annual agribusiness potential.
He said the priority was to move proven livestock innovations from isolated successes to large-scale deployment supported by investment and regional trade systems.
“Africa doesn’t lack solutions for its livestock sector. What it lacks is scale and productivity,” Djikeng said.
Demand is also expected to strengthen the investment case, with consumption of animal-source foods projected to increase by 280 per cent by 2050.
Ministers seek more private investment
Group Chief Executive Officer of CKL Africa, Mucai Kunyiha, said attracting private capital would require closer cooperation among governments, farmers, manufacturers, veterinarians and regional institutions.
He identified animal health as one area where stronger systems were needed to support commercial investment.
Using vaccination as an example, Kunyiha said the challenge was no longer simply producing vaccines but creating sustainable systems for delivering them consistently.
“Vaccination is a system, not an event,” he said.
The ministers identified livestock-specific financing as one of five priorities, calling for patient capital and financing terms that reflect the biological cycles of livestock production.
They also called for harmonised standards and certification to facilitate cross-border trade in livestock and animal products, alongside stronger animal identification and traceability systems.
Other priorities include greater livestock representation in government and regional trade frameworks and increased peer learning among African countries.
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Ethiopia shows investment potential
Ethiopia was cited as an example of how targeted investment and policy intervention can transform livestock production.
The country’s milk production reportedly rose from 7.1 billion litres in 2022 to 15.7 billion litres in 2025/26, representing a 122 per cent increase.
The growth was attributed to the Yelemat Tirufat initiative, which supported more than 36,000 new dairy villages and 5,000 dairy clusters, alongside new cross-border trade agreements.
However, Ethiopia’s representative identified feed production as a major constraint despite feed output more than doubling during the period.
Professor Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, Chair of Council at Zimbabwe National University of Science and Technology and Co-Chair of the Food Planet Prize, said Africa’s challenge was no longer a shortage of livestock resources, farmers, scientific knowledge or demand, but the failure to connect these assets and scale solutions.
“Africa’s livestock priority is no longer recognition. It is delivery,” she said.
Participants recommended institutionalising the ministerial platform to drive implementation of the 10-year Integrated Regional Livestock Value Chain programme to 2035, with progress reported through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme Biennial Review.
They also agreed that stronger financing, trade, data and governance systems, as well as clarity over who pays for animal health, would be critical to attracting investment and making Africa’s livestock sector commercially viable.
Ogochukwu Onwaeze is a writer specializing in business and economic journalism. At THEWILL News Media, she translates market trends, financial developments, and policy shifts into clear and engaging stories.
