Information
Landmark: Garissa Cattle MarketCity: Garissa
Country: Kenya
Continent: Africa
Garissa Cattle Market, Garissa, Kenya, Africa
Overview
In Garissa town, tucked away in northeastern Kenya, the Garissa Cattle Market bustles as one of East Africa’s biggest and most vital hubs for livestock, where the air smells of dust and warm animal hide.It’s a key economic hub for Kenya, and it also drives trade for neighbors like Somalia and Ethiopia, where trucks roll in daily with goods from the coast.The market focuses on cattle, yet it’s also busy with goats, sheep, and camels, their calls and hoofbeats filling the dusty air.Traders, brokers, and buyers pour in from all over Kenya and even farther, keeping the market vital to the livelihoods of pastoralist communities like the Somali, Borana, and Orma, where the sound of cattle hooves means income and survival.It sits in the heart of Garissa, just a short walk from the wide, slow-moving Tana River.Economic Role: Garissa’s market drives the local economy, keeping thousands of families afloat through trade and services-from dusty roadside food stalls to transport vans, livestock vets, and busy brokers.Thanks to its size and prime spot near the Somalia border, the Garissa Cattle Market serves as a key gateway for herds arriving from Somalia and Ethiopia, their hooves kicking up dust before they’re loaded and sent on to Nairobi, Mombasa, or shipped abroad.Market days peak on Wednesday, when stalls buzz with voices and the scent of fresh bread, though trading carries on all week.Volume: The market is thought to move thousands of animals each week, the sound of bleating echoing through crowded aisles.At the height of the season, more than 5,000 animals-cattle, goats, even dusty, long-lashed camels-change hands in a single day.Livestock change hands either through direct talks between buyer and seller or with a broker stepping in to arrange the deal, sometimes right there in the dusty market yard.The price of livestock hinges on things like its size, breed, health, and even the time of year-think of how winter might push feed costs up.Locals call them “dilaali,” and these brokers size up each animal-checking its coat, teeth, and stance-before making sure every deal goes through without a hitch.A large share of the livestock-particularly the cattle and camels-comes from Somalia, where dusty markets bustle with traders.Farmers bring in other livestock from nearby Kenyan regions, including Wajir’s dusty plains, Mandera, Isiolo, and Tana River counties.The market also trades livestock raised right here in Garissa County, from bleating goats to sturdy cattle.safeEmployment: The market keeps pastoralists working, but it also gives jobs to truck drivers, fodder sellers, food vendors stirring hot pots, and day laborers.Livelihood security: It gives pastoralists a steady way to sell their animals, especially in the dry season when the dust hangs in the air and selling livestock can mean the difference between getting by and going hungry.From 2005 to 2007, reports show that cattle farmers in Garissa brought in over KES 1.8 billion from market sales-enough to buy thousands of sturdy leather saddles.The Garissa County government has worked to upgrade market infrastructure, setting up neat livestock pens where the dust settles quietly around the animals, making it easier to manage large herds.We set up veterinary checks to make sure animals are healthy and free of disease before they travel, inspecting everything from clear eyes to steady breathing.They’re upgrading the access roads so livestock can move to and from the market with ease, even on dusty summer mornings.Veterinary officers check each animal for signs of disease, and any leaving Garissa must carry a movement permit to stop livestock illnesses from spreading.Challenges of drought: When the land stays parched for weeks, cattle grow thin and weary, and their market value drops.Sometimes, disputes over grazing land or water erupt between pastoralist groups, slowing the movement of goods along dusty supply routes.Animal diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) can hit hard, halting livestock sales and leaving market stalls quiet.Market Infrastructure: Even with recent upgrades, the market still faces crowded walkways and too few shaded spots, along with limited access to clean water and proper sanitation.Plans are underway to modernize the Garissa Cattle Market, with work focused on expanding pens and stalls so the market can handle more livestock.We’re rolling out digital platforms for buying and selling livestock-simple, fast, and as easy as clicking to bid on a herd.Tightening disease control measures, like stepping up border health checks.Encouraging value-added work, such as turning fresh cuts into seasoned, ready-to-cook meat.The Garissa Cattle Market remains a cornerstone of Kenya’s livestock trade, driving food security, jobs, and cross-border commerce across the Horn of Africa, where the air hums with the lowing of cattle and the chatter of bargaining voices.
