The Frontiers Children Development Organisation has donated livestock feeds worth Sh850,000 to farmers in Turkana county.
The organisation donated 300 bags of livestock supplementary feeds to support households in Turkana Central, Loima and Turkana North subcounties that were affected by last year’s desert locust invasion.
The organisation's representative Peter Kamais said they were committed to collaborating with the county government on future interventions.
He said the intervention targets 150 households, including dairy goat farmers in Turkwel, Lobei/Kotaruk, Kanamkemer, Lodwar Township and Lake zone wards.
“The objective of the supplementary livestock feeding exercise is to increase the availability of feeds and improve the nutrition status of the targeted households through milk availability, especially for children,” he said.
Kamais said the livestock feeds are also meant to reduce food insecurity and improve purchasing power through better incomes realised from the sale of healthy animals.
County executive for agriculture, pastoral economy and fisheries Philip Aemun thanked the organisation for the support.
He also appealed for more support from well-wishers and other livestock stakeholders noting that agro-pastoralists had been greatly affected by the drought that had been compounded by livestock diseases.
He revealed plans to organise more meetings to source support for drought-affected households.
Aemun said the support will include off-take programmes for emaciated goats and sheep.
Turkana chief officer for livestock Abdulahi Yusuf outlined the department’s intervention which includes plans to upscale pasture production, rangeland management and livelihood diversification enterprises such as poultry production and bee keeping.
David Edukon, a resident and farmer from Kanamkemer in Turkana Central thanked the organisation and the county government for the provision of livestock supplementary feeds.
“Last year, the locust infested on vegetation that we depend on to feed our animals. They depleted all pastures which saw our animals get emaciated with some dying,” he said.
Joseph Erupe, a resident from Turkwel in Loima urged the organisation to continue supplying the livestock feeds to give farmers a chance to revive their sources of livelihood.
He said last year was difficult for farmers as locust infestation destroyed pasture while water sources and pastures dried up due to drought leaving their animals hungry.
The county government confirmed that last year's desert locusts destroyed more than 23,000 acres of maize and sorghum in Turkana.
Governor Josphat Nanok said his government has been increasing land under crop cultivation to boost food security but decried the locust invasion which he said has eroded the gains made.
“This year, 41,467 acres were put under maize and sorghum production. However, these grains were hampered by the locust invasion in February where over 23,000 acres of farmland were destroyed,” Nanok said.
-Edited by SKanyara
