AGRICULTURAL VALUe ChAIn FInAnCInG In KenYA

10 • AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAIN FINANCING IN KENYA: ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH
management and government also recognizes the contribution of livestock
(including beef) to the pace of achieving the millennium development goals
of economic growth and poverty eradication.
With respect to Government of Kenya Intervention, the Beef value chain was
not penalised by this rater and was awarded the possible six percent. The beef
sector is fully de-regulated and highly liberalised. Government only interacts
with the market to quarantine for disease prevention and control which is
positive for the development of the sector rather than impeding its growth.
3.7 COMPLEMENTaRY Ta aND BDS
In terms of access to technical support services, the beef value chain received
the full value of two percent for this rater. IFAD, ADB and World Bank have
provided technical assistance for productivity (including breed selection),
disease surveillance and control, support for processing and marketing of beef,
strengthening butcheries (disease identification and hygiene requirements).
Vaccination facilities and vaccines are also widely available. Nonetheless, while
services are available, they are least accessed by pastoralists who comprise the
majority of the beef suppliers.
Considering technical assistance, other than large commercial ranches where
buyers offer vet service assistance to producers, there is no evidence of service
provision by the value chain actors. This rater thus received zero percent.
3.8 GEOGRaPHICaL SPREaD
When considering concentration of clients for financial services, it was observed
that beef production is widespread in the Uasin Gishu, Kajiado/Machakos,
Laikipia and Taita sub-zones stretching more that 20 districts. Beef slaughter
houses, though largely concentrated in the cities, were found throughout
in the whole of Kenya. Thus, the value chain received a full allocation of ten
percent for this rater.
With respect to access to minimum infrastructure to underpin financial
services, with little exception much of the beef livestock infrastructure has
consistently deteriorated (holding grounds, stock routes, watering points and
quarantine stations). Water scarcity caused by drought and poor infrastructure
has disrupted livestock/beef production and distorts marketing. Road
infrastructure for trucking the beef livestock to slaughter houses is fair though
a lot of trekking of livestock is still being undertaken by the traders. With little
proper commercial infrastructure, provision of financial services is similarly
difficult to concentrate. Thus, this rater was given zero percent by the authors.