President William Ruto has proposed introducing buffaloes for milk production in Kenya as the government explores alternative sources to address milk shortages and rising prices.
Speaking during the Agriculture and Food Security Transformation Summit at the Jamhuri ASK Showground in Nairobi on October 8, 2026, Ruto said Kenya should consider rearing buffaloes for dairy production, citing India, where the animals are widely used commercially.
“I hear buffaloes also produce a lot of milk. Tulikua tumesema tuanze na kidogo tuone hii buffalo, kama tunaweza kukamua. If others are milking them, why can’t we do the same? What is wrong with that? We need to diversify our sources of milk,” he said.
The president said he had instructed the government’s livestock leadership to explore sourcing improved camel breeds and buffaloes to boost milk production.
Ruto attributed the current milk shortage partly to drought, which has affected livestock production and contributed to supply constraints.
He also highlighted the commercial potential of camel milk, saying a liter was selling for between KSh180 and KSh200 in Nairobi.
“We need to diversify our source of milk, from camels, sheep, goats, and even from buffaloes,” he said.
India’s buffalo dairy model
India is among the world’s leading producers of buffalo milk, with the animals forming a significant part of its dairy industry. Buffalo milk has a higher fat content than cow’s milk on average, making it suitable for products such as butter, cheese, yogurt, and ghee.
However, introducing buffalo dairy farming in Kenya would require assessing suitable breeds, animal-health requirements, feeding systems, and the commercial viability of the enterprise under local conditions.
