Digital platform to shake up Kenya's Sh1.9 trillion livestock industry

Kenya's Ksh.1.9trillion livestock industry is undergoing a potential Kenya's Ksh1.9 trillion livestock transformation as a new digital platform, Livestock Ex, moves to replace traditional open-air markets with a smartphone- driven trading system.

For decades, livestock sales in Kenya have relied on long treks. middlemen, and fluctuating prices. The result: farmers lose an estimated 20-30% of potential earnings before their animals ever reach a buyer. Challenges range from weight loss during travel and unreliable pricing to theft, inconsistent supply, and limited financing for feedlots. LiveStockEx, launched by entrepreneur Murray Roos, aims to address these systemic inefficiencies. "We're transforming how livestock is valued, verified, and moved, profitably and sustainably." Roos said.

The system allows farmers to upload basic animal details, photos, weights, and smartphone. A registered vet breed information, through a then verifies the animal before buyers bid and pay digitally. Transporters receive booking requests and complete delivery. with each step recorded in a traceable digital log.

The platform gives farmers access to a national market without travelling long distances or relying on brokers. Buyers benefit from verified animals, health records, and predictable supply chains. One early user said the service is "long overdue," noting its potential to open new domestic and export opportunities.

Kenya is seeking stronger access to Gulf markets, where buyers increasingly demand strict traceability. LiveStockEx provides digital records of animal movement, ownership, and health inspections, requirements now common in countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The government aims to expand livestock exports by 2030, and industry experts say digital verification may determine the country's future competitiveness.

Formal financing remains heavy losses, digital trading scarce for feedlots due to poor may help farmers sell earlier documentation and inconsistent and stabilise their income supply. Verified digital data, such as weight histories and movement logs, could make it easier for operators to access credit, supporting investment in better feeding regimes and higher-value markets.

Veterinarians earn from each animal they verify, while transporters gain direct bookings instead of waiting at market centres. Sector players say this could improve efficiency and income stability across thevalue chain.

Digitized sales reduce the need for long animal treks, which degrade grazing lands, increase emissions, and spread disease. Because animals move only after sale, monitoring becomes easier and outbreaks can be tracked more quickly.

During droughts, when the livestock sector often suffers. The African Development Bank projects that Africa's digital agriculture sector could reach US$1 trillion by 2030. Ghana and Ethiopia are among countries already implementing digital commodity and traceability systems. Kenya's adoption of similar technology places it within this growing continental trend.

If LiveStockEx gains widespread adoption, industry stakeholders say livestock sales that once took a week could be completed in minutes. Transparency could improve, fraud may decline, and millions of households could see higher earnings. For a sector valued at Shs1.9 trillion, the shift could mark one of the most significant changes in decades.