Garissa County government has appealed for donor support in establishment of disease-free zones, cross border collaboration, Livestock infrastructural expansion and mechanization of fodder production and livestock feed processing in the county.
Livestock and agriculture CEC Mohamed Shale said the county needed external support in all the areas above and also development of research, training, business incubation and skill development for youth, women and agricultural entrepreneurs.
Shale was speaking after a tour of key livestock facilities in the county where he accompanied the Swiss ambassador to Kenya Valentin Zellweger.
The CEC urged development partners to consider supporting climate smart agriculture, fodder production and improved breed management.
Shale noted the county government had made great achievements in vaccination, treatment and pest control where over 1.9 million livestock in the just concluded financial year 2020/2021 were covered.
He noted that other key achievements in the sector include the renovation of office facilities in all the sub counties, empowering small holders in bee keeping and honey harvesting as well as expansion of area under fodder production.
“Through our development partners we also implemented reseeding of degraded rangelands and rolled out emergency supplementary feeding of lactating livestock during drought, ” Shale said.
On his part, the Swiss ambassador said the priority areas were important towards enhancing food security and promised to explore areas where his country could support Garissa County especially in the livestock sub-sector.
The Frontier Counties Development Council CEO Simba Guled said they will consider partnering with the county government by starting pilot projects on some of the priority areas mentioned.
The delegation toured the local livestock market, Garissa University and the on-going Cancer Center at the Garissa Referral hospital.
The team was accompanied by Deputy County Commissioner Benerd Ole Kipury, Deputy Speaker Mohamud Abbass, county police boss Joseph Nguri, Chief Officer for Livestock Isnino Rage, CEO Municipality Abdinur Ole Hussein, County Coordinator for Climate Smart Agricultural Project Bashir Mohamed and Deputy Director in the Department of Partnership and Donor Coordination Maryan Hussein.
By Erick Kyalo
