(KENYA) Ndeiya farmers have been rearing cattle for milk and goats for meat during the annual festive seasons and for sale to earn extra income. However, due to climatic variations many farmers have been losing cattle to recurrent droughts. As the pasture land dries up, , milk ,which is a rich source of proteins, has become a rare commodity.

Ndeiya farmers have been rearing cattle for milk and goats for meat during the annual festive seasons and for sale to earn extra income. However, due to climatic variations many farmers have been losing cattle to recurrent droughts. As the pasture land dries up, milk, which is a rich source of proteins, has become a rare commodity.

The Ndeiya Integrated Food Security Project introduced the concept of dairy goat rearing, trained the beneficiaries on husbandry, and loaned 16 households 16 nannies (female goats) to help them fight malnutrition and poverty. Four bucks (male goats) were also procured and loaned to four households to serve the 16 nannies and upgrade the local goat breeds reared by the participating households.

Mrs. Wangui Kiuna was among the first farmers to benefit from this loan project, and at present she gets a liter of goat milk a day, which equal to what she used to get from her cow that died during the last drought. Mrs. Wangui describes dairy goat rearing as less work than cattle raising and easier to manage financially since goats eat less. She proudly mentions that fodder for one cow is enough to feed eight goats. Raising goats has left Mrs. Wangui with more time to undertake her other chores on the farm, in her houshold, and with her family. She concludes by saying that, “Milk from the goat has already changed my life, and I feel am growing younger day by day.”

Praises:

Blessings, 

Stephan Lutz

Program Consultant
World Renew Kenya