Livestock sector and its products controls 80 per cent of Isiolo County’s economy despite drought and climate change affecting the area.
The Agriculture, livestock and Fisheries County Executive Member Dr. Lawrence Mwongera said that the sector also employs a large number of people, thus supporting the livelihood of 240,000 residents.
Speaking while opening a one-day workshop on Drought Resilience in Isiolo County, Dr. Mwongera who is also a veterinarian said that Isiolo County has 149,000 dairy camels that produce milk that is sold to neighbouring Counties, with Nairobi consuming 75 per cent of the milk.
The CEC also said many residents have discarded traditional methods of grazing by forming groups through which they plant, harvest and store fodder for their animals during dry seasons. They sell the surplus fodder to other regions.
“Isiolo County Government has allocated 800 hectares to the agriculture sector and already 10,000 hectares are under fodder, where individuals have moved in to plant the commodity purely for business,” he stated.
He said according to the 2019 census, the County had 1.8 million goats and sheep of which 40 per cent were consumed locally, adding that during the same period there were 370,000 heads of cattle and 70,000 chicken.
By Abduba Mamo
