Lives market in Garissa. The sector is one of the booming businesses in the area. [Photo/Coastweek]
Livestock production is an important part of the country`s economy. Garissa county produces over Sh1.5 billion in sales of the domestic and overseas market. Garissa imports livestock from cross-border trade between Somali livestock merchants. Livestock farming is part of culture and heritage of people of northern part of Kenya because it has a potential of generating income to the local communities in the region. Cattles act as a catalyst of the economic asset to the people of Garissa as most people engage themselves in pastoralism.Through milk, meat production and market sales, the people of Garissa are able to get sources of livelihood that sustain them. Over the past years, the significance of cattle trade among food economy has been increasing due to the high value of cattle, and due to this, it has increased the seasonal demand of slaughtering and restocking in parts of Kenya and Tanzania.Garissa county has a high potential of livestock keeping and most of the people have concentrated in keeping cattle and as a result of this, they get more than 1.5 billion shillings through the sales in the domestic and overseas market. The county government should generate modernized cattle dips for all livestock. This will benefit the residents as they will get great profit and uses the services generated to prevent their animals from being attacked by diseases.The government should invest in areas such as milk processing, meat, and markets where there is hide and skin for this will bring great returns to the residents of Garissa. As a result of this investments, a plant should be provided which will increase the production market for meat and milk processing both locally and internationally. Products such as fermented milk, milk powder, and butter for export will increase county income and also the living standard of the residents.The challenges that farmer's face is that there is low commercialization in production sector as Garissa is a county that has not yet well developed and they still use the traditional methods. The government should Improve technology infrastructure such as transportation and encourage farmers to use the modern technology so as to improve their production.