Farmers in Mwea have constructed sheds to house their animals at night following a spate of donkey thefts.
To ensure the animals are secure, the farmers have also formed groups and partnered with Nyumba Kumi members to patrol villages at night to stop thieves.
The latest development is a departure from a few years ago when villagers left donkeys out in the open at night and would be woken up by the comforting bray of the animals in the morning.
Such tranquility was shattered by theft of donkeys about four years ago, with many farmers waking up to find their animals missing.
Ndorome Gituto Donkey Riders Youth group from Nguka village has built three donkey sheds, each with a capacity for 20 donkeys.
The iron-roofed, timber-walled sheds have a secure door and are strategically located in the middle of a farmer’s compound to make it hard for thieves to drive the animals away, undetected.
Group's chairman James Gachoki said the 60-member group plans to build more sheds.
Farmers who are not members pay Sh100 per night to have their donkeys housed.
Kenya Network for the Dissemination of Agricultural Technologies (Kendat) which runs Heshimu Punda Programme, has helped the farmers to build the sheds.
