Red Meat Finishing Strategies and Pasture Management for Drought Adaptation in Kajiado and Isiolo Counties, Kenya

Abstract

In Isiolo and Kajiado Counties, red meat offers an opportunity for increasing household food, nutrition and income security. Kenya Climate Smart Agricultural Productivity (KCSAP) groups were involved in different finishing management strategies to add value before marketing. Hence this activity focused on determining the economic practicability of the various management practices in order to identify and recommend the most appropriate opportunity. The broad activity was to conduct economic analysis of finishing management strategies and pasture production as a business in the red meat value chain. The data ware collected from 451 households belonging to KCSAP groups, Community Interest Groups (CIGs) and Most Venerable Groups (VMGs) using semi structured questionnaire. 10 Focus group discussions (FGDs) of 120 participants (30 men and 90 women) within the groups, 18 key informant interviews (KIIs) with public and private sector actors. Priority livestock production constraints in Kajiado were; diseases, pastures, while in Isiolo were; pastures, limited access to water and diseases. Priority livestock technology needs; pasture production technologies. water harvesting, drugs and vaccines. Fenced plot Management strategies for finishing Sahiwal bulls, Zebu cattle, Sheep and Goats were profitable. Pasture in fenced plots and livestock being confined hence reduced long distances enabled weight gains with a higher market value of approximately KES 70,000. Open grazing management strategies for finishing Sahiwal bulls, male sheep and goats were not profitable, degradation of rangelands, spread of transboundary diseases and un-controlled invasive plant species. In Isiolo county, land is communally owned hence fenced grazing systems cannot be practiced. Nevertheless, finishing of Zebu cattle on hired ranches was practiced in Oldonyiro ward-but may not be sustainable since land privately owned in Laikipia county. Pasture production on a fenced plot as an input in red meat value chain and a business, fencing using locally available materials (acacia thorns), removing invasive plant species, has huge gross margins of KES 626,000 in a normal rainfall year.