- Governor Lonyangapuo wants farmers to access local and international markets
- Farmer says exotic breeds grow faster and fetch good money
Framers in West Pokot are changing their livestock breeds from indigenous to exotic.
The county government has distributed free gala goats and sahiwal bulls in all 20 wards to enable farmers change their breeds.
“Most of the farmers have embraced crossbreeding since they have noticed that the exotic breeds grow faster and fetch good money at the markets,” farmer Musa Lokidor said.
He asked the county government to distribute more goats and bulls to all villages.
He said farmers in the region had started to paddock their farmers and plant pasture to prevent movement of animals during drought.
“Farmers have learned how to preserve pastures for their animals during dry spell to prevent movement of livestock,” he said.
West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo said his government decided to invest in the venture to enable the county access both local and international markets.
Lonyangapuo said local breeds don’t fetch good money in the market and that’s why they have decided to change breeds.
“We want to crossbreed our livestock so that in the coming year we shall have modern breeds that can fetch good money at the markets,” he said.
The governor said farmers should fully utilize meat processing plant that has been set up in the region.
“The European Union has helped us in the completion of Nasukuta slaughterhouse and we want to fully maximize it,” he said.
Lonyangapuo said he wants the county to supply beef to other parts of the country instead of selling live animals.
“Middlemen have exploited our farmers where they buy animals at a throwaway price and sell in other parts of the country making abnormal profits,” he said.