What to Farm in Mandera County: Crops, Livestock and Profit
Mandera ranks 3rd for camels and 3rd for meat goats among Kenya's counties. Below is everything the latest national figures record there.
Where Mandera Leads Kenya
Rank 1 means the biggest producer or herd among counties that report the product.
Camels
744,612 animals
3rd of 26 counties
17.4% of Kenya
Meat goats
2.5 million animals
3rd of 47 counties
7.4% of Kenya
Beef cattle
597,279 animals
6th of 47 counties
3.7% of Kenya
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Shares compare Mandera with all of Kenya. Counties report figures to the national team and some years swing sharply.
Crops Grown in Mandera: 2023 Figures
Area, output and yield for every crop the national report records in Mandera.
| Crop | Area (ha) | Output | Yield (t per ha) | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowpeas | 1,134 | 607 t | 0.5 | 15th of 37 | 0.4% |
| Sorghum | 1,345 | 1,035 t | 0.8 | 19th of 41 | 0.5% |
| Green grams (ndengu) | 94 | 91 t | 1.0 | 22nd of 33 | <0.1% |
| Maize | 3,209 | 2,738 t | 0.9 | 40th of 47 | <0.1% |
Yield is output divided by area. Coffee is the 2022 to 2023 crop year. Sugar, tea and cotton show processed output.
Livestock and Poultry Kept in Mandera
Numbers kept in Mandera in 2023, ranked against other counties.
| Animal or bird | Number kept | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meat goats | 2.5 million | 3rd of 47 | 7.4% |
| Beef cattle | 597,279 | 6th of 47 | 3.7% |
| Hair sheep | 636,500 | 7th of 47 | 2.9% |
| Dairy cattle | 51 | 45th of 47 | <0.1% |
| Dairy goats | 84 | 46th of 47 | <0.1% |
| Camels | 744,612 | 3rd of 26 | 17.4% |
| Donkeys | 115,162 | 4th of 46 | 6.7% |
| Beehives | 23,518 | 20th of 47 | 1.4% |
| Indigenous chicken | 47,588 | 47th of 47 | <0.1% |
| Layers | 1,853 | 47th of 47 | <0.1% |
| Broilers | 120 | 47th of 47 | <0.1% |
When to Plant in Mandera
Mandera is in a two-season area. Two seasons. Long rains: plant March to April, harvest July to August. Short rains: plant September to October, harvest December to January.
Blocks show the usual months.
Source: FEWS NET Kenya country book, citing a 2024 Ministry of Agriculture official. Rain onset is erratic, so planting can stretch from March to May. Windows suit crops of 4 to 7 months. Altitude changes the pattern inside a county, so ask your sub-county agricultural officer.
Five-Year Trends in Mandera
Output of the leading products since 2019. Bars compare years, and the dark bar is the latest.
Sorghum
Up 107% since 2019
tonnes
Cowpeas
Up 135% since 2019
tonnes
Maize
Up 184% since 2019
tonnes
Green grams (ndengu)
Up 122% since 2019
tonnes
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Counties report these figures and they can swing from year to year. Read the direction, not one year.
The Main Products in Mandera
A short read on each of the five strongest products, with the numbers behind it.
Camels
Mandera recorded about 744,612 camels in 2023. That ranks 3rd of 26 counties and gives 17.4% of Kenya's total. Sell through livestock markets and traders. Ask the county livestock office for market days.
Meat goats
Mandera recorded about 2.5 million meat goats in 2023. That ranks 3rd of 47 counties and gives 7.4% of Kenya's total. Sell through livestock markets and traders. Ask the county livestock office for market days.
Donkeys
Mandera recorded about 115,162 donkeys in 2023. That ranks 4th of 46 counties and gives 6.7% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Beef cattle
Mandera recorded about 597,279 beef cattle in 2023. That ranks 6th of 47 counties and gives 3.7% of Kenya's total. Sell through livestock markets and traders. Ask the county livestock office for market days.
Hair sheep
Mandera recorded about 636,500 hair sheep in 2023. That ranks 7th of 47 counties and gives 2.9% of Kenya's total. Sell through livestock markets and traders. Ask the county livestock office for market days.
Where to Sell in Mandera
Buyers, factories and markets to check first. Each one is a lead, not a promise.
Confirm before delivering. Every name here is a lead from a research directory compiled on 8 November 2026. Operators, catchments and rules change. We have not checked each one.
How to find a buyer in Mandera
- Check farm gate and wholesale prices on KAMIS. It covers five markets in every county.
- Ask the county cooperative officer which registered societies buy your product.
- Visit the buyer first. Ask for the grade, price, payment date and who pays transport.
- Start with one small delivery before you commit your harvest.
No named buyers yet
Our directory has no verified outlet for Mandera. That does not mean there are none. Use the steps below to find them.
Livestock
Mandera has one of the densest livestock market networks in Kenya, per a SPARC national mapping.
Ask the county livestock or veterinary office for market names and days. Never move animals without the right permits.
Know a buyer or a market in Mandera that should be listed? Tell us on WhatsApp. Please send the business name, product, location and how farmers can sell to it.
Priority Value Chains in Mandera
The national strategy backs these products in Mandera. Open a guide to see how each one is farmed.
Rain and Soil in Mandera County
Mandera is in the Northern ASALs zone of the national strategy. These notes describe the whole zone, not one farm. Parts of Mandera are in AEZ Zone VI: very arid land with 200 to 400 mm of rain.
- Crops the zone favours
- Mostly pastoralism, with some maize on raised plateaus.
- Livestock and fish
- Camels, goats and sheep.
- Rain and soil
- One season of rain at best. Sandy, salty, low-fertility soils.
- Farming households
- About 0.4 million farming households
- Typical rainfall
- under 200 to 600 mm
- Typical farm size
- Group ranches
- Typical household income
- under KES 10,000 a month
Income, farm size and rainfall are 2019 strategy estimates. Read the AEZ guide to see how zones are set.
Test the Profit of Mandera’s Top Products
Pick a product. See revenue, costs and break-even for your acreage in seconds.
What These Figures Do Not Show
Fruit and vegetables
The report has no county figures for tomatoes, avocados or onions. Check local buyers first.
Fish
Fish output is reported by lake and sea, not by county. See the fish guide.
Your ward
Soil and rain change inside a county. Ask your sub-county agricultural officer.
Your profit
Output is not profit. Run your own costs in the profit calculator.
Questions About Farming in Mandera
What crops grow best in Mandera County?
Mandera ranks 3rd for camels and 3rd for meat goats. The biggest crop areas are maize (3,209 ha), sorghum (1,345 ha), cowpeas (1,134 ha).
Which livestock is common in Mandera County?
Mandera ranks 3rd for camels, 3rd for meat goats, 4th for donkeys. The table above lists every animal and bird recorded.
Which fruits, vegetables and fish suit Mandera County?
The national report has no county figures for these. See the strategy list for Mandera above, then check local buyers and water.
What agro-ecological zone is Mandera County in?
The national strategy places Mandera in the Northern ASALs zone. Our AEZ guide explains how zones, rain and soil shape what you can grow.
How do I work out profit in Mandera County?
Open the farm profit calculator, choose your product, then enter your acres, yield and local price.
Does this cover my sub-county or ward?
No. The national figures stop at county level. Soil and rain change across a county, so ask your sub-county agricultural officer.
Where do the figures come from?
The KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024 is the source. Figures are for 2023, and coffee uses crop year 2022 to 2023.
Ask About Farming in Mandera
Tell us what you want to grow or keep. An Agcenture adviser replies on WhatsApp.
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Plan, Fund and Scale Your Farm in Mandera
Farm business plan
A costed plan for your acreage, market and cash flow. Banks and Saccos ask for one. Ask for a quote.
Finance for your farm
Learn what lenders ask for, which securities they accept and how to apply. We can help you prepare.
County agribusiness brief
For banks, programmes, investors and county teams. A short paid brief on Mandera: products, buyers, risks and gaps.
About This Page
Updated 8 November 2026. Production figures are 2023 data from the national report. Buyer and season notes were compiled on the same date.
How we made this page
County output, area and rank come from the KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Rank compares Mandera with the counties that report the product. Yield is output divided by area. Trend charts use the same report’s five-year tables.
Planting seasons follow the FEWS NET Kenya country book, which cites a 2024 Ministry of Agriculture official. Zone details come from the 2019 national strategy (ASTGS), explained in our AEZ guide.
Buyer names come from four sources. One is third-party research for Agcenture. The others are the Coffee Directorate Year Book, Brookside’s supplier page and the Kenya Dairy Board register. Prices come from KAMIS. We have not verified each buyer. Tell us if something is wrong.
Written and maintained by the Agcenture editorial team. Report a correction on WhatsApp.
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