Taita Taveta herders receive animal feeds to prevent deaths

The government has commenced distribution of some 250 tonnes of animal feeds to hundreds of herders in Taita Taveta county.

Distribution of the range cubes is part of emergency drought response intervention meant to cushion livestock keepers from the effects of the prolonged drought in the county.

The region has recorded close to six failed rain seasons, resulting in water and pasture scarcity.

The prolonged drought, Governor Andrew Mwadime said, has wiped out over 40,000 livestock across the county.

"This is part of intervention plans we are putting in place to cushion our herders. Livestock has a significant contribution to our county's economy hence the need to support livestock keepers," Mwadime said while flagging off lorries transporting the feeds at the National Cereals Produce Board depot in Voi.

Mwadime said livestock keepers will get the feeds for free in the ongoing programme.

He said the County government has partnered with the Food and Agriculture Organisation to prevent deaths of livestock through distribution of animal feeds. 

"My administration in partnership with FAO has continued to implement various climate adaptation and mitigation measures geared towards maximising agricultural production," he said.

The governor said the agriculture sector has severely been affected by climate change, calling on farmers to shift to climate resilient crops for increased yields.

Mwadime said the devolved unit is also collaborating with Eni Kenya, an Italian multinational oil and gas company, to promote castor oil.

He said the pilot project will benefit hundreds of farmers in lowland areas who will be included in the first phase of the project this season.

The company is leading a castor oil growing pilot project in Makueni county and is set to expand its catchment to Taita Taveta.

Castor seeds are used to produce biofuels in a bid to meet the increasing demand of biodiesel.

The county boss further presided over the distribution of pasture equipment and various pasture seed varieties to farmer groups in the county.

He said the consignment will catapult the commercialisation of livestock production in the county, further urging farmers to capitalise on the ongoing rains to plant animal fodder.

The equipment included chaff cutters and fodder shredders and will benefit at least 47 groups.

The hay seeds include four tons of African Fox tail, Maasai Love grass, cowpeas and nitrified which is meant for lowland areas.

Agriculture, Livestock, Irrigation and Blue Economy CEC Erickson Kyongo said the pasture seeds will help reduce the animal feed deficit.

Kyongo said the county targets to produce 103,333 bales of hay in the ongoing short rains. 

"The agriculture department is targeting to capitalise on rangelands to grow fodder and help herders reduce livestock deaths caused by drought," Kyongo said.

The county needs to produce at least 1 million bales of pasture annually to meet the current demand.

The county boasts of more than 1 million acres of grazing land falling under 28 community ranches, providing an ideal space for hay production.

Kyongo said other efforts to enhance the livestock sector include disease surveillance programmes, routine vaccine and artificial insemination services for improved milk production among others.