Livestock farmers in Nhiwa Sub-county Homa Bay county will benefit from a goat rearing programme that seeks to transform livelihoods.
Under the programme run by Life for Children Welfare, a member of a community group will get a goat or sheep free of charge and will be expected to multiply it.
The beneficiary will take care of the young animal until it matures and gives birth. Afterward, the farmer will be expected to share the first two offspring with two other group members.
After sharing the first two offspring of the goat, the farmer assumes ownership of the original goat and can now use it for any purpose.
The other farmers also continue with the same trend of sharing the first two offspring of the goats or sheep they receive until each group member receives the livestock.
However, if the goat or sheep bears a male offspring, the male one is sold so that a female one is bought for sharing. Executive Director of Life for Children Welfare Michael Agwanda launched the programme by distributing goats and sheep to 43 farmer groups free of charge. Each group has 20 members.
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Speaking during the function at Wachara Village, Agwanda said more than 2,000 farmers are going to own a goat or sheep through the programme in the next five years.
Agwanda said they started the programme after realising there are many farmers who are willing to breed livestock but they cannot do so due to financial constraints.
"We realised there are many farmers who want to rear livestock but they are too financially challenged to do so. We have given them the livestock free of charge to enable them breed livestock for their own gain," Agwanda said.
A beneficiary of the project, Mboya Miruka of Omeno Self Help Group at Mariwa Village who received the goats and sheep lauded the idea saying it will go along way in empowering farmers.
"When I have donated the first two kids of the goat I have received, I will promote goat breeding so that I can buy cattle using funds obtained from sale of my goats," Miruka said.
Abich Miyago of Kanyadhi Self Help Group at Kitota Village who received goats and sheep said the project will enable him pay school fees for his children.
"I will rear my sheep for commercial purposes to enable me get school fees for my children," Miyago said.
