Have you ever thought about starting a rabbit farming business?
It might surprise you to learn that rabbit meat is one of the most profitable and sustainable livestock ventures in the world. While it’s not yet as popular as chicken, beef, or pork, over one million tons of rabbit meat are consumed globally every year—and demand continues to grow.
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Globally, China, Italy, Spain, and France are the largest producers and consumers of rabbit meat. But here’s the exciting part: Africa is catching up fast. Across the continent, forward-thinking farmers are discovering the incredible potential of this clean, low-cost, and high-return business.
Rabbit meat is often called a “super meat”—it”’s rich in digestible protein, low in cholesterol, and incredibly lean. Add to that the fact that rabbits are quiet, require little space, and reproduce rapidly, and you have one of the best agribusiness opportunities available today.
In this post, we’ll look at three African rabbit farmers who turned small beginnings into thriving, profitable enterprises. Their stories prove that with passion, creativity, and persistence, success in rabbit farming is within reach.
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🥇 1. Farmer Brown (Ghana): From Civil Servant to Rabbit Mogul
In 2002, Adotei Brown, fondly known as “Farmer Brown,” quit his civil service job with just ₵10 (around $3) and four rabbits—three does and one buck. Instead of giving up, he reinvested every bit of profit back into his business.
Today, Farmer Brown’s enterprise breeds nearly 3,000 rabbits each year, selling around 500 rabbits weekly to grocery stores, hotels, and restaurants across Ghana. Each rabbit fetches about ₵20 ($6), making it a solid source of income.
But Farmer Brown didn’t stop there—he opened an on-site eatery that serves delicious rabbit dishes: grilled, smoked, and cooked varieties that attract locals and tourists alike.
He also runs a grasscutter (bushmeat) farming business alongside his rabbit venture and has dedicated his time to training young entrepreneurs in rabbit farming. To support them, he buys mature rabbits from his trainees, ensuring they have a steady market and income.
👉 Farmer Brown’s mission goes beyond profit—he’s building a community of young rabbit farmers across Ghana.
🥈 2. Moses Mutua (Kenya): The Visionary Behind Rabbit Republic
Known nationwide as “Mr. Rabbit,” Moses Mutua is the founder and CEO of Rabbit Republic, one of Africa’s most successful rabbit enterprises.
His journey wasn’t easy. Born into a humble background, Moses couldn’t afford to continue his education and once worked as a security guard for five years before losing his job. But instead of giving up, he turned to the internet and began researching rabbit farming.
Starting with just six rabbits, he founded Rabbit Republic—a company that has grown into a multi-million-shilling enterprise, earning over KSh 10 million ($100,000) annually and slaughtering 2,000 rabbits monthly.
Rabbit Republic now partners with over 1,000 farmers across Kenya, providing free training, mentorship, and a ready market for their rabbits. The company has expanded into Uganda and Tanzania and plans to export rabbit sausages to the US and Europe, where health-conscious consumers are increasingly turning to lean meats.
Moses’ goal?
To make Kenya a global leader in rabbit production—and to empower thousands of youth and women through sustainable agribusiness.
🥉 3. Charles Kamau (Kenya): From Job Loss to Agripreneurial Success
When Charles Kamau lost his job in the hospitality industry in 2004, he had no idea that his future lay in rabbits. What began as an attempt to generate organic fertilizer for his vegetable garden quickly turned into a thriving enterprise.
His first batch of rabbits all died from disease—a devastating setback. But instead of quitting, Charles researched, learned, and started again. This time, success followed.
Today, his farm breeds several commercial rabbit varieties, including the Flemish Giant, one of the largest rabbit breeds in the world. He supplies meat to restaurants, five-star hotels, and even foreign nationals living in Kenya.
At one point, Charles received an order from China for 22,000 pieces of rabbit fur—proof of the untapped potential of this industry.
His business now earns him more than KSh 20,000 ($220) per month in savings, enough to support his family, pay school fees, and invest in property. He’s since purchased land and plans to expand his operations into a 12-acre rabbit farm.
💡 3 Big Reasons to Start Rabbit Farming Today
1️⃣ Huge Market Demand for Healthy Meat
Rabbit meat is low in fat, cholesterol, and calories—making it ideal for health-conscious consumers. It’s considered a “super meat” and has no major religious or cultural restrictions.
With over 700 million rabbits slaughtered globally every year, demand for rabbit meat, fur, and by-products (like organic fertilizer) is rising fast.
2️⃣ Fast Multiplication = Quick Profits
A single doe can give birth to up to 40 kits per year. Rabbits breed year-round and mature in as little as 5–6 months.
Compared to other livestock, rabbits are efficient feed converters, meaning they gain more weight from less food. This makes them incredibly cost-effective to raise.
As Moses Mutua says:
“The cost of raising one cow is equivalent to raising 40 rabbits — but rabbits give you faster, higher returns.”
3️⃣ Low Start-Up Costs and Minimal Maintenance
You can start a rabbit farm with as little as two rabbits and a simple wooden hutch. Rabbits are quiet, clean, and require minimal space.
They eat inexpensive feeds like grass, leaves, and vegetable scraps—perfect for backyard farming. Plus, they’re less prone to diseases than poultry or pigs.
Rabbit farming is a business you can start small and scale fast, even while keeping a day job.
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🚀 Ready to Start? Here’s How
✅ Step 1: Learn Everything You Can
You don’t need to pay for expensive training. Just like Moses Mutua, you can learn from free online resources such as:
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“Rabbits: A Producer’s Manual”—A comprehensive 61-page guide covering breeding, feeding, and slaughtering.
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“Raising Rabbits for Meat”—A beginner-friendly resource explaining housing, diseases, and management.
✅ Step 2: Find Quality Breeder Stock
Start with one buck and one doe—or a few does for faster breeding. Buy from trusted local farmers or livestock markets, and make sure you’re getting healthy, pure breeds suitable for meat production (not just pets).
Popular commercial breeds include New Zealand White, Californian, and Flemish Giant.
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🌱 Final Thoughts
The stories of Farmer Brown, Moses Mutua, and Charles Kamau prove that rabbit farming isn’t just profitable—it’s transformative. From low start-up costs to high market demand, rabbits offer one of the most sustainable agribusiness opportunities available today.
So, what are you waiting for?
Start small, learn fast, and hop into success—just like these inspiring African farmers did. 🐰
💬 Got questions or your own rabbit farming story?
Share it in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!
And if this article inspired you, don’t forget to share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
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