Airport construction to help export livestock products

By ADOW JUBAT

Plans are underway to put up an international airport in Mandera town at a cost of Sh1 billion, Mandera County Governor Ali Ibrahim Roba has announced.

He said the main purpose of the airport will be to facilitate exportation of livestock products to markets in the Middle East, North Africa and other emerging outlets in Europe and elsewhere in the world.

Mr Roba said his county’s administration has set aside an additional Sh500 million for the construction of world-class abattoirs in the region to serve the pastoralists as buying and slaughtering centres for their animals.

He was addressing representatives from various NGOs involved in livestock projects in the county including restocking and fodder production through irrigation.

Among the NGOs represented included Save The Children, Islamic Relief, Habiba international, Practical Action, BroadReach Healthcare Program among others.

The governor cited establishment of meat and milk storage,  processing plants and leather tanning factories as the other necessary infrastructure which his government will consider to benefit the livestock keepers through value addition.

Terming the venture as the economic lifeline for the residents, Roba expressed the determination of his government in transforming the neglected sub-sector into a viable economic activity.

population stagnated

He cited the neighboring Ethiopia and South Sudan where the sector had been perfected into a profiteering venture. “Sudan slaughters over 1,000 animals for export daily which is what we are focusing on,” he said.

However, the County Director of Livestock Production Mr Abdi Mohammed Ali, says the animal population had stagnated over the years as a result of the periodic droughts which kill them in large numbers.