Kenya’s food crisis continues to worsen, with an estimated 2.8 million people facing severe food insecurity in 2025, according to the Global Report on Food Crises. For many Kenyan farmers, the challenge extends beyond growing crops to keeping their livestock alive as animal feed prices skyrocket. In response, a group of farmers in Taita Taveta County have begun producing their own low-cost animal feeds, a simple yet transformative idea supported by the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) through its Integrated Food Security and Livelihood (IFSL) Project.
Lucy Sembei, Programme Manager at KRCS, explained that most Kenyan farmers rely on subsistence agriculture and struggle to achieve economic sustainability. Recognizing this, the Red Cross shifted its focus from short-term aid to long-term resilience. Initially, the organization distributed poultry feed during emergencies, but as drought intensified and maize prices soared to nearly USD 50 per 90-kilogram bag, dependence on aid increased. To create a sustainable solution, the KRCS, in partnership with the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), introduced farmers to alternative, locally available feed ingredients such as black soldier fly larvae and azolla, a fast-growing aquatic fern. Both are rich in protein, affordable to produce, and environmentally sustainable.
Training sessions equipped farmers with the knowledge to cultivate larvae and azolla using basic materials. Soon, communities began experimenting with homemade feed formulas, significantly cutting costs and improving livestock productivity. The results have been remarkable: since 2021, the 135 farmers supported by the project now produce an average of six trays of eggs monthly, selling the surplus for KSh 450 per tray. With innovations like azolla farming and egg incubation, poultry farmers have reduced their commercial feed use from four bags per week to just one.
For beneficiaries like Jane Mbula, the change has been life-changing. After receiving training and 30 chickens, she expanded her flock to 60, selling both eggs and chicks to support her household and grandchildren’s education. Beyond poultry farming, the initiative has benefited over 3,400 people in Taita Taveta County, including crop farmers, beekeepers, goat and rabbit keepers, and youth and mothers engaged in nutrition and savings programs.
Sembei emphasized that the project’s success lies in empowering communities to become self-reliant by producing affordable feed and food using resources already within their reach. Collaboration with research institutions and local partners ensures the solutions are practical and sustainable even after project funding ends.
The IFSL Project is part of the Africa Zero Hunger campaign launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The campaign promotes sustainable, community-led approaches to strengthen resilience and tackle the root causes of food insecurity across Africa — helping to move communities closer to the goal of Zero Hunger.
