Capacity Building and Sustainability of Livestock Value Chains in Samburu County, Kenya

Abstract

Livestock value chains contribute significantly to food security, household income, nutrition, employment creation, and livelihood resilience in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid regions. Despite their importance, these value chains experience sustainability challenges arising from inadequate technical skills, poor product-handling practices, weak record-keeping, limited financial literacy, and insufficient access to continuous training. Capacity building is increasingly recognized as an important supplier-development practice because it equips value-chain actors with the knowledge and competencies required to improve animal husbandry, product quality, business decisions, knowledge sharing, and market participation. This study examined the effect of capacity building on the sustainability of livestock value chains in Samburu County, Kenya. The study was anchored on Human Capital Theory and adopted descriptive and correlational research designs. The target population comprised 3,458 livestock value-chain actors, from whom a sample of 359 participants was selected using proportionate stratified random, simple random, and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and a key informant interview guide. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, and simple linear regression, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The study achieved a response rate of 69.6%. The findings established that capacity building had a strong, positive, and statistically significant relationship with sustainability (r = 0.612, p < 0.001). Capacity building explained 37.5% of the variation in livestock value-chain sustainability (R² = 0.375; adjusted R² = 0.372) and had a positive and statistically significant effect on sustainability (β = 0.612, p < 0.001). The study concluded that capacity building enhanced product handling, animal husbandry, knowledge sharing, business decision-making, and market participation. It recommends continuous and accessible training integrating technical, business, financial, and record-management competencies.