• Africa’s animal feed production rose 11.5% in 2025, far above the 2.9% global average.

• Aquaculture feed recorded the fastest growth, driven largely by Egypt’s expansion.

• Structural, environmental, and economic risks could reshape industry performance in 2026.

Africa’s animal feed industry has maintained a positive trajectory since 2023, supported by intensifying production systems and rising demand for animal protein. In 2025, the continent recorded the fastest growth globally, according to the “Agri-Food Outlook” report published on April 21, 2026 by Alltech.

The report shows that Africa produced 64.2 million tonnes of animal feed in 2025, marking an 11.5% increase from 2024. This growth significantly exceeded the global average of 2.9%. The continent has now posted the strongest expansion worldwide for the second consecutive year.

Aquaculture drives the expansion

The aquaculture feed segment led industry growth despite ranking among the weakest segments in 2024. African production rose by 27.5% to 2.1 million tonnes, compared with about 4.7% growth globally.

Egypt drove much of this expansion as output increased by 36%, despite “competition for water resources.” The country remains Africa’s largest aquaculture producer and the world’s third-largest supplier of tilapia after China and Indonesia.

Dairy and poultry segments sustain volumes

The dairy feed segment ranked second in growth, as production rose by 13.5% to reach 10 million tonnes in 2025. This increase reflects the ongoing shift toward intensive dairy farming systems, which rely more heavily on formulated feed and drive higher consumption volumes.

“In South Africa, improved economic conditions and lower raw material costs supported demand for animal feed, although foot-and-mouth disease remains a risk. In East Africa and Southern Africa, increased use of compound feed per cow and gradual formalization of supply chains boosted total volumes,” the report said.

The poultry segment remained the largest contributor, accounting for more than 45% of total production. Broiler feed output exceeded 20 million tonnes, posting a record global growth rate of 12.7%, driven by Egypt’s 21.9% increase as the continent’s leading chicken producer. Meanwhile, layer feed production rose by 10.5% to 9.69 million tonnes. Other segments, including pig and cattle feed, also recorded positive growth, rising by 8.6% to 2.5 million tonnes and 8.4% to 7 million tonnes, respectively.

Outlook for 2026: rising structural challenges

While 2025 delivered strong results, the report’s authors signal a shift in global industry dynamics. They warn that multiple structural, environmental, and economic pressures are converging across the agri-food sector.

“The era of predictable and linear growth in the agri-food sector is coming to an end – and the industry is facing a convergence of structural, environmental and economic obstacles […]. The ability to deliver protein cost-effectively is being tested by extreme weather events, geopolitical trade disruptions, persistent biological threats and rising capital costs,” the report said.

Against this backdrop, Alltech expects performance in 2026 to depend on the industry’s ability to manage risks, adapt feed formulations, optimize operations, and maintain resilience across markets, including Africa.

This article was initially published in French by Espoir Olodo

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum