BELGIUM–TARDA LIVESTOCK PARTNERSHIP TALKS SIGNAL NEW ERA OF TECH-DRIVEN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION

Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority was happy to have hosted Mr. Coffi Barboza, Founder & CEO of BeCoffi & Co, and Prof. Pascal Leroy from the University of Liège, as part of a Belgian delegation exploring strategic collaboration in livestock development.The discussions centered on establishing a pilot livestock excellence centre within the basin — anchored on technology transfer, modern breeding systems, animal health innovation, feed optimization, and capacity building for pastoral and agro-pastoral communities.

The TARDA Team at the meeting were led by Director, Corporate Services, Mr. David Kimaiyo and Director, Resource Planning and Development, Ms. Irene Ndavi.

The proposed partnership goes beyond theory. It targets practical demonstration models that can strengthen productivity, improve value chains, enhance climate resilience, and position livestock as a structured economic driver rather than a subsistence activity.

There is strong alignment between Belgium’s technical expertise and TARDA’s basin-based development mandate — particularly in semi-arid regions where improved genetics, data-driven herd management, and sustainable grazing systems can transform livelihoods.

The conversation marks an important step toward building a knowledge-driven livestock ecosystem in the Tana and Athi River Basins — one that connects research, technology, enterprise, and community impact. Partnerships that combine global expertise with local implementation capacity are how we move from potential to performance.