Livestock farmers reject Sh700m bailout project

By Ali Abdi

Livestock stakeholders have rejected the Government’s offer to buy animals through the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC).

The group termed the Sh700 million for the livestock take-off project by the Ministry of Livestock Development as inadequate.

Through the Kenya Livestock Marketing Council (KLMC), the stakeholders cited the case of Isiolo with livestock population of 300,000, yet only 430 cattle will be purchased under the project.

The group that spoke in Isiolo included KLMC Directors Hussein Abdillahi and Henry Sakalpo, marketing officer Khalich Wario, Kenya Chamber of Commerce and Industry Isiolo Chairman Hussein Mohammed and livestock dealers’ representative Bernard Muthaura.

Mr Abdillahi said under the project meant to save pastoralists’ livestock from the ravaging drought, KMC wants dealers to bring their animals to the Athi-River base.

"KMC’s offer of Sh100 per kg of cold dress weight is not enough, considering that dealers will incur extra costs to transport the animals," said Abdillahi. ‘’We buy a kilo of beef at Sh180 in Isiolo town. How can KMC ask us to deliver our animals and offer Sh100," asked the official.

Options given

KMC, the group said, should not handle the project ‘since it had failed to put its own house in order’ adding that instead, the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) or Arid Lands Resource Management Project (ALRMP) should be given the task. During the 2006 drought, the stakeholders said ADC did a good job by going to the grassroots to buy the animals.

‘’They took even the emaciated animals to their farms for fattening. We do not know why KMC is not doing the same,’’ said Abdillahi.

The group said KMC had so far received Sh4 billion as bailout from the Government to save the hard-hit nomadic communities.

‘’This project is meant to help us save our animals from the biting drought and not for KMC to do business. If we fail to follow the ADC way, then we reject the offer,’’ they said.

Isiolo District Livestock Production Officer Ibrahim Adan said the price offered by KMC translates to Sh10,000 per cow minus other costs incurred, notably transport. He said current average price of one animal in Isiolo stood at Sh13,000.

Upward adjustment

The District Steering Group, the body that monitors drought also faulted the KMC price and recommended upward adjustment.

It also proposed that the buying of the animals be channelled through ALRMP as it is based in all arid and semi-arid districts.

Meanwhile, Livestock Development Minister Mohammed Kuti was accused by the stakeholders of appointing people with no marketing knowledge to KMC board.

Mohammed said some board members were politicians who had failed to capture civic seats in past elections.

‘’Board members should be people with knowledge on modern livestock husbandry and marketing and not political rejects. The minister has let us down,’’ said the businessman.

They called on the Government to privatise KMC by selling it to interested buyers like Egypt or others from Middle East.