Migori County Governor, Zachary Obado, led the County Livestock and Agriculture Department, in the distribution of the in-calf dairy cows and Sahiwal breeding bulls to farmers.
This is one of the county projects, dubbed ‘One Dairy cow per sugarcane/Tobacco farmer’, aimed at reducing tobacco growing and uplifting the livelihoods of sugarcane farmers.
The occasion, which was held at Karamu slaughterhouse grounds in Kuria West, marked the Sixth Phase of the project in seven Sub-counties. Similarly, it was in its Fifth Phase for the Sahiwal breeding bulls’ project in Nyatike Sub- County.
Obado stated that the animals have been given out to the identified beneficiaries, adding that the key objective of the initiative, is to improve both the quantity and quality of the dairy herd in the County.
“This initiative is aimed at achieving our overall goal of increasing milk production for improved food security and nutrition of households in Migori,” said the Governor.
The Governor highlighted that the dairy cows will improve the livelihood of residents through the sale of milk and providing nutrition.
He also noted that the residents will benefit from cow dung which will be used as manure for their crops.
In this Financial Year 2021/2022 the County Government has given out a total of 139 in-calf dairy heifers.
50 of the animals were funded by the County and the other 89 were funded through community projects.
The Governor noted that the in-calf dairy animals have cost the County an amount of over Sh.24 million.
Additionally, a total of 93 Sahiwal breeding bulls will be given to the identified beneficiaries.
The governor remarked that the income of each of the 5,720 households involved in projects has increased by an average of Sh.12, 000 per month.
“Since the inception of the programme in the 2014/15 Financial Year, the ‘One Dairy cow per sugarcane/Tobacco farmer’ project, has greatly boosted the income of our farmers and also increased the milk production in the County,” Obado said.
The dairy programmes are estimated to have contributed to reducing the County’s milk deficit by close to 10 per cent per annum.
According to the Economic Survey of 2019, the quantities of milk may be affected by the projected increase in the Kenyan population.
To this day, a total of 539 in-calf dairy cows and 124 Sahiwal breeding bulls, have been distributed to various farmers.
About 242 pass-on of calves to other farmers within the clusters in Kuria East, Kuria West, Suna West, Suna East, Uriri, Awendo and Rongo Sub-counties have been achieved.
The Sahiwal breeding bulls have produced 427 Sahiwal offspring in Nyatike Sub County.
The Governor, however, condemned recent heinous acts of the attack on animals that have been witnessed in various parts of the County.
Earlier this year, there have been cases reported where unknown people launched attacks on livestock where they stabbed the entire flock in the stomach to death. The incidences were reported mainly in the sugar belt areas, which led to the loss of over 300 animals.
“I challenge the security apparatus in the County to bring these culprits to book for their heinous act.” stated the Governor.
He appealed to the Communities to embrace developments by supporting each other through reporting these evil actors to the relevant authorities. This, he says, is the only sure way of increasing security, as well as boosting livestock production.
By Polycarp Ochieng and George Agimba
