Livestock is globally one of the mainstay of the agricultural communities. It provides 50% of the value of agricultural output globally and one third of the value in developing countries.
Livestock makes a distinct contribution to social and economic development of the rural masses. In Kenya, rural households earn a living from livestock farming and consider keeping livestock as a store of wealth.Small-scale livestock system plays a very important role in supporting rural livelihoods. Livestock fulfill many functions in addition to producing meat, milk and eggs functions include - provision of fertilizer, fuel, drought power and transport, a means of savings and investment; a buffer against crop failure and diverse cultural and religious roles.
The voluntary guidelines is key in my advocacy work in Kenya we devolved governance this guidelines will influence policy making and implementation, Kakamega County government channel funding to increase farmer herder adoption of livestock technologies appropriately suiting their contexts and increasing their livestock productivity." One Cow Initiative Program".
The objective are in order if we could include: to support the visibility, recognition and enhancement of the already important role of small-scale livestock and to contribute to global and national efforts towards the eradication of hunger and poverty.
Nature and scope: Definition Small-scale livestock producers are farmers raising small livestock such as poultry, goats, pigs and sheep. Pastoralists in Kenya we the Maasai who move with herds of cows to look for pasture.
In Kakamega County we have the One Cow Initiative. County Government of Kakamega purchase and distribute in-calf heifers one cow per poor household program. Flagship programme in Department of Agriculture , Livestock, Co-operatives and Fisheries.It is meant to increase milk production in Kakamega while at the same time improve the livelihoods of local people. Kakamega County established Kakamega County Dairy Development Corporation through an Act of County Assembly in 2018 and mandated it to implement the one cow programme, establish Dairy smart farms. Since 2015 to date we (CSOs) in Kakamega County have been participating and influencing allocation to the program. The biggest challenge we have the way the beneficiaries are selected, no training on how to maintain and sustain the cow. World bank through Western Kenya Mitigation and Floods Project constructed building and equipped milk coolers in 2010 to date not operating. County government has started construction of a milk processing plant in Malava has not been completed due to budget constraints it is currently at 70% completion.
I believe through this guidelines it will enable CSOs ensure value for money fast track completion of the milk processing plant and operationalization milk coolers.
Ms. Kristine Yakhama