Enhancing Competitiveness of Livestock Markets in Arid Regions: Focus On Livestock Production, Marketing, and Trade Systems in Turkana, Kenya

Abstract: The study examined the performance of livestock markets in arid areas, specifically
in Turkana, with an emphasis on competitiveness and determinants of market access within
livestock production, marketing, and trade systems. The research study involved 168 livestock
traders selected from operational livestock markets in Turkana, specifically Kerio (Turkana
Central Sub County), Lokiriama (Loima Sub County), and Kachoda (Turkana North Sub
County), with their performances also juxtaposed against other markets in arid regions of
Kenya. The study results indicated that extreme competition is evident in the Turkana livestock
marketing system, considerably affecting livestock production and marketing activities. This
leads to the non-functionality of some potential markets, diminishes the competitiveness of
several traders, and ultimately obstructs market access initiatives. Factors include inadequate
legislation, insufficient research, informal marketing systems, resource –based conflicts and
insecurity, restricted capital, market competition, exploitation of low-capital traders, and
climate change intensify these consequences. The study advocates for comprehensive
programming in livestock development in Turkana, emphasising stakeholder capacity
enhancement, systems-oriented methodologies, knowledge and technology dissemination,
legislative improvements, and the augmentation of competition and market access capabilities.
This includes the transformation of Livestock Marketing Associations (LMAs) into Livestock
Marketing Cooperatives (LMC) and the increase of capital resources for livestock businesses to
enhance the competitiveness of local traders and diversify enterprises. These objectives are
accomplished when national and county livestock plans incorporate the production and
marketing potential of dryland regions.