Garissa Cattle Market | Garissa

The Garissa Cattle Market, located in Garissa town in northeastern Kenya, is one of the largest and most important livestock markets in East Africa. It is a major economic hub not only for Kenya but also for neighboring countries like Somalia and Ethiopia.

Overview

The market specializes in the trade of cattle, but it also deals heavily in goats, sheep, and camels. It attracts traders, brokers, and buyers from across Kenya and beyond, and it is crucial for the livelihoods of many pastoralist communities such as the Somali, Borana, and Orma peoples.

Location and Importance

Location: Central Garissa town, close to the Tana River.

Economic Role: The market is the backbone of Garissa’s economy, supporting thousands of families through trade and associated services like transportation, veterinary services, food stalls, and brokerage.

Because of its size and strategic location near the Somalia border, the Garissa Cattle Market acts as a major entry point for livestock coming from Somalia and Ethiopia, which are then transported to other parts of Kenya, especially Nairobi, Mombasa, and even for export.

Market Operations

Market Days: The main market day is Wednesday, but trade activities occur throughout the week.

Volume: It is estimated that the market handles thousands of animals weekly. On a peak day, over 5,000 animals, including cattle, goats, and camels, can be traded.

Transactions: Livestock are sold either through direct negotiation between buyers and sellers or via brokers who facilitate sales.

Livestock pricing depends on factors like animal size, breed, health, and the season. Brokers, known locally as "dilaali," play a critical role in evaluating animals and ensuring smooth transactions.

Livestock Origin

A significant percentage of the livestock, especially cattle and camels, comes from Somalia.

Other livestock are sourced locally from Kenyan regions like Wajir, Mandera, Isiolo, and Tana River counties.

The market also handles livestock raised in Garissa County itself.

Economic Impact

Revenue Generation: The Garissa Cattle Market generates millions of Kenyan shillings in trade every year.

Employment: The market supports not just pastoralists but also transporters, fodder sellers, food vendors, and casual laborers.

Livelihood Security: It provides pastoralists a reliable outlet to sell animals, especially during dry seasons when selling livestock becomes necessary to survive.

Between 2005 and 2007 alone, it was reported that cattle farmers in Garissa earned over KES 1.8 billion through sales at the market.

Infrastructure

The Garissa County government has made efforts to improve the market infrastructure by:

Creating organized livestock pens to ease the management of large numbers of animals.

Setting up veterinary services to ensure that animals are healthy and disease-free before transportation.

Improving access roads for easier transportation of livestock to and from the market.

There are veterinary officials who inspect animals for diseases, and animals moving out of Garissa are required to have movement permits to prevent the spread of livestock diseases.

Challenges

Drought: During prolonged dry spells, livestock health deteriorates, leading to lower prices.

Conflict: Occasionally, resource-based conflicts among pastoralist communities affect supply chains.

Animal Diseases: Outbreaks of livestock diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) can severely disrupt market activities.

Market Infrastructure: Despite improvements, the market often struggles with congestion, lack of adequate shade, water, and sanitation facilities.

Future Prospects

Efforts are ongoing to further modernize the Garissa Cattle Market, including:

Expanding facilities to handle more livestock.

Introducing digital livestock trade platforms.

Strengthening disease control measures.

Promoting value addition activities like meat processing.

The Garissa Cattle Market continues to be a critical component of Kenya’s livestock sector, vital for food security, employment, and cross-border trade in the Horn of Africa.