Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett. [Photo: nation.co.ke]
The government through the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries has called on smallscale livestock farmers to form associations that can enable them to commercialize fodder production so as to boost the productivity of their animals.
Speaking in Nakuru during the official opening of the first national fodder commercialization conference, Agriculture CS Dr. Willy Bett said that the government is committed to establishing a robust policy framework upon which small micro-enterprises in pasture production can leverage for high productivity in the livestock sector.
It is anticipated that at least 1,000 SMEs in fodder production sector will benefit in the first phase of the turnaround programme.
The CS observed that the high cost of dairy and beef products in the country is triggered by the high cost of animal feeds in the case of fodder and feeds, and there is a need for continuously building the capacity of fodder farmers in high potential areas.
He said that the first move is to ensure farmers have access to high quality and certified fodder seeds.
As it is, farmers rely on fodder that is made from grass breeds that are derivatives of open pollution and this hampers the productivity of dairy and beef animals.
Dr.Bett said that the program will also enable researchers to develop certified fodder seeds suitable for arid and semi-arid areas as a way of building resilience to the harsh climate shift among livestock farmers in the areas.
He said that once farmers form organized groups this will place them in the desired competitive space that will create pathways to growth and better livelihoods.
Livestock Principal secretary Dr. Andrew Taimur said the program will boost the country`s annual milk production from the current five to at least 12 billion litres, a demand he says is anticipated by the year 2020.
The two-day conference aimed at repositioning the fodder value chain for sustainable livestock production in the country has attracted the participation of livestock development stakeholders from across parts of Kenya and the East Africa region.