The government is looking for more markets to export livestock in order to reduce the huge losses occasioned by the ongoing drought in the country.
Speaking during the launch of livestock and dairy farmers’ production catalogues in Mombasa, Livestock Principal Secretary (PS) Harry Kimutai said an estimated 2.5million heads of livestock have been lost to drought.
The PS noted that livestock farmers have been badly hit by drought through the loss of their livestock for the last four seasons.
Kimutai said to cushion the farmers from more losses the government has offered intervention through an off-take programme by Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) as well as looking for a market to export livestock to other countries.
“Plans are underway for the country to invest in climate-smart agriculture and livestock production as the last solution,” he added.
Kimutai lauded the Kenya Crops and Dairy Market systems for coming up with dairy farmers feeding manuals as part of the interventions to improve dairy productivity.
He said the ongoing four days’ dairy farmers feeding manual programme training in Mombasa was expected to come up with recommendations that would address the challenges of drought-affected areas.
“Livestock in 29 counties are facing a shortage of pasture and water and the piloting intervention programme is supposed to begin in 14 ASAL counties,” he said.
He noted that the dairy feeding manuals have been developed, validated and peer-reviewed by various stakeholders in the dairy industry and would be used by extension service providers as they offer farmers advisory services.
He said the guide presents practical information that will help dairy farmers make sound decisions to achieve their production objectives.
“This is expected to result in improved feeding practices that will offer opportunities for the farmers to intensify their productivity in a cost-efficient manner, smoothen the seasonal fluctuation of milk and improve incomes,” added the PS.
Deputy Chief of Party USAID Kenya Crops and Dairy Market System project (KCDMS) Judy Odongo said the programme under the banner of sustainable food systems transformation agenda making climate-smart livestock production real was supposed to empower the farmers on livestock production.
Odongo added that the programme is sponsored by USAID in partnership with the government through the State Department of Livestock as implementers.
“The five-year plan programme is focusing on animal breeding, animal nutrition and market for farmers’ livestock produce, milk and their by-products,” she added.
Odongo noted that the programme has been rolled up in the counties of Kitui, Makueni, Taita-Taveta and all Western counties but has wider applicability as it would be used nationally and even regionally.
She said the joint partnership has developed catalogue extension training materials on dairy cattle nutrition for farmers and livestock government extension officers on a practical approach to dairy cattle feeding to help in implementing innovative strategies for improving dairy productivity.
By Chari Suche
