From November 17 to 23, 2024, staff from DATCP's International Agribusiness Center led a trade mission to Kenya and Tanzania to strengthen trade relations and expand livestock genetics exports to the region.
Nine delegates from three Wisconsin genetics companies and three agricultural organizations participated on the weeklong mission. Staff from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service in both Nairobi and Arusha accompanied the delegation to site visits, government meetings, and farm visits throughout the week. We also conducted full day seminars in Nairobi and Arusha centered around genetic improvement and best practices of bovine artificial insemination and embryo transfer. These seminars attracted nearly 100 local producers, distributors, and government officials as attendees.
Business-to-business meetings were pre-arranged in both locations, with the goal of relationship building and project development to increase Wisconsin genetics exports to the region.
We anticipate collaboration among DATCP, the National Association of Animal Breeders, and the Wisconsin Diagnostic Veterinary Laboratory for future trainings in Africa as one successful result of this mission. Immediate sales for Wisconsin bovine genetics companies are another anticipated postive outcome.
This mission was made possible with funding from United States Livestock Genetics Export, Inc., and the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports.
