USAID gives Turkana pastoralists Sh20.6 million livestock grant

Turkana pastoralists are set to benefit from USAID’s livestock grant.

More than 300,000 pastoralists are set to benefit from the Social and Behavioral Changes campaign's Sh20.6million grant.

The USAID's  Feed the Future Livestock Market System launched the SBC campaign to encourage pastoralists to adopt good practices.

The SBC programme dubbed ‘Ufugaji Bora, Maisha Bora’,  focuses on changing the behaviours of individuals and communities.

It also targets their social norms and environmental factors affecting those behaviours.

They do this to increase economic opportunities and market equity to smallholder livestock producers in the county.

Benson Longor, director for veterinary services, said the SBC programme funded by USAID will  pass the information to the community across the county.

“Most  people who live here in Turkana are pastoralists and they depend on livestock to support their livelihoods," he said.

"We want to inform the public that livestock keeping is a business now that we have the infrastructure, market systems and disease control measures.”

Longor said herders have been faced with animal diseases because of the porous borders.

Empowering them through communication will help them seek assistance from key line departments from veterinary services and livestock production.

He said the campaign is critical as it would help address gaps such poor livestock quality and marketability.

It will also inform the herders on the profitable investment that comes with commercial livestock farming.

“Funding will be focused on supporting the county government, media agencies, and local partners to co-design, develop and implement the behavioural change campaign," Longor said.

"It will  involve other partners using a series of innovative and practical interventions.” 

George Wamae, senior market systems specialist,  said the campaign seeks to address the social expectations and environmental factors that prevent pastoralists from adopting good practices.

“We are happy to collaborate with the county government of Wajir on this SBC campaign which is a step towards transforming our communities," Wamae said.

"Through the campaign, we want to empower and bring lasting change among the pastoralist communities by imparting the knowledge that will improve their quality of life.” 

Wamae said the campaign will  encourage  pastoralists to adopt  good practices that include immunisation and vaccination to improve the health of their animals and protect them against diseases.

He said they will be taught the importance of feeding their animals using high-quality hay and mineral salts and selling their animals through cooperatives and producer groups for better incomes.

Others good practices are adopting hygienic milking, handling and processing practices; and meeting their nutritional needs by feeding on animal source foods such as milk, meat, and eggs.

“The intervention seeks to change the behaviour of individuals and communities to increase economic opportunities and market equity to small holder livestock producers,” Wamae said.

He said some of the targeted  behaviours that were jointly identified by the county government and LMS include ensuring that producers and service providers adopt modern standards.

This, he said, will increase the health and market value of their livestock.

Wamae said producers will sell their livestock through aggregation channels as well as adopt improved hygienic milking, handling and preservation practices, among others.

(Edited by Francis Wadegu)