admin | May 2, 2016
This week’s story from Somaliland shows how pastoralists are suffering because of drought. In many parts of Africa, the changing climate and this year’s severe El Niño weather pattern are putting farmers’ livelihoods and health at risk. Our Script of the week shows how livestock farmers in eastern Kenya, where farmers face extended droughts, are turning to goats for food and profit.
In Kenya, most livestock keepers prefer to raise cattle. But with the changing climate, a few farmers have recently discovered that goat farming is an effective substitute.
Goats are hardy animals. They do not consume a lot of fodder, can survive for several days on the water in the food they eat, do not require much land, and, if well-managed, gain enough weight to be sold in six months. They are especially well-suited to dry areas.
This script shows how a small-scale farmer can get a lot of milk and manure from goats, and make money by selling the animals.