Taita Taveta to grow hay to save animals from drought

 

The Taita Taveta Agriculture department has urged farmers to grow hay to  reduce livestock deaths from drought.

Agriculture executive Erickson Kyongo said the department wants to enhance synergy with development partners to promote the fodder and forage value chain.

He said the department targets at least 1 million bales of pasture annually.

 “The county has bare rangeland that can be utilised for pasture production,"  said on Monday while hosting a delegation from SNV, a Netherlands-based development organisation at Wundanyi.

He said only 20 per cent of county hay silos are utilised despite the huge potential in the rangelands.

Kyongo said the county intends to put at least 1,000 acres under pasture for both large- and small-scale hay production.

The department in January distributed 14 tons of pasture seeds to more than 1,285 farmers from at least 55 farmer groups in the region.

The hay seeds include 10.4 tons of African foxtail, Maasai Love grass, cowpeas and nitrites, which are meant for lowland areas.

FEED CATTLE: Taita Taveta Agriculture CEC Erickson Kyongo meeting with SNV officials at his Wundanyi office
Image: SOLOMON MUINGI

Farmers in the highland areas will be given 3.6 tons of sugar-grass and boma rhodes grass.

The county has more than 1 million acres of grazing land in 28 community ranches.

To achieve the target, Julius Rono from SNV said the organisation is working with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) ito introduce drought-tolerant pasture seeds in the region.

“We are bridging policy gaps to enable farmers to access to pasture seeds so livestock thrives," Rono said.

He said prolonged drought caused by five consecutive failed rain seasons has hurt hay production requiring drought-resistant pasture seeds.  BY THE STAR