RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called for the modernisation of Kenya’s dairy industry after touring Saudi Arabian agribusiness giant Almarai, saying technology, investment and stronger value chains are critical to increasing productivity and creating jobs.
Mudavadi made the remarks during his official visit to Saudi Arabia as part of the inaugural Kenya–Saudi Arabia Political Consultations, where the two countries signed agreements on labour cooperation, investment promotion and customs collaboration.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary said agriculture remains one of the key pillars of Kenya’s economy and that strengthening partnerships across the agricultural value chain is essential for improving food security, increasing farmer incomes and expanding employment opportunities.
“Agriculture remains one of the strongest pillars of Kenya’s economy, and strengthening partnerships across the value chain is key to creating jobs, enhancing food security and growing farmer incomes,” Mudavadi said.
Lessons from Almarai
During the visit, Mudavadi toured Almarai, which he described as the world’s largest vertically integrated dairy company.
According to Mudavadi, the company produces more than 4.2 million litres of milk daily from a herd of over 170,000 Holstein Friesian cows.
He said the visit demonstrated how innovation, technology and efficient value chain management have enabled large-scale agricultural production despite Saudi Arabia’s arid climate.
“The visit offered valuable insights into how innovation, technology and efficient value chain management have transformed a desert landscape into a globally competitive agricultural enterprise,” he said.
Mudavadi also praised the contribution of Kenyan professionals employed by the company, noting that more than 2,470 Kenyans work at Almarai in management, technical and operational positions.
He described their presence as evidence of the competitiveness and skills of the Kenyan workforce in the international labour market.
Boosting Kenya’s dairy sector
Mudavadi said the experience underscored the need for Kenya to modernise its dairy value chain by investing in technology, skills development and private-sector partnerships.
He argued that adopting similar approaches could increase agricultural productivity, strengthen food security, expand exports and create more employment opportunities.
“The experience reinforces the need to modernise Kenya’s dairy value chain through technology, investment and skills development, while expanding opportunities for skilled Kenyans in international markets.”
The remarks come after Kenya and Saudi Arabia concluded their first-ever political consultations, during which both governments reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation in labour mobility, trade, investment, agriculture, renewable energy and infrastructure as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral economic ties.