This archive report was first published on 1 July 2020.
Kenya: Herders Struggle Amid COVID-19 Lockdowns ¶
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread in Kenya, herders in Kajiado County are facing a new challenge: selling their livestock. The lockdowns and movement restrictions have disrupted the livestock marketing system, leaving many herders struggling to make ends meet.
Peter Olankai, a 46-year-old cattle, sheep, and goat keeper, has seen his income dwindle significantly. "Our livelihood is reliant on livestock - we sell these animals to get money to buy food and other family needs, but now we can't," he said earlier this month.
Olankai's community was hit hard by drought in 2018 and 2019, but this year, they had a lot of rain and the livestock are healthy and in good condition. However, the pandemic has ruined his plan to fetch a decent price for his animals.
Disrupted Livestock Marketing System ¶
The pandemic has disrupted the livestock marketing system in the area, with many brokers halting their activities. Traders like James Mburu have had to go into Maasai country to collect livestock from individual keepers. "Before... the pandemic, I used to buy about 100 goats per week but now getting even 20 goats is hard," he said.
Mburu hires a pick-up van and drives for almost 80 km to buy goats, which leaves him with a loss. He also owns two butchers' shops supplying meat to the town's biggest hotels but has had to close them and send home five employees due to the dwindling supply of goats for slaughter.
Government Response ¶
The government is providing food aid to vulnerable residents to cushion the financial blow. The county government is also planning a phased reopening of major livestock markets from Monday, after ensuring they can comply with coronavirus prevention protocols.
Leonard Leakey Ritei, Kajiado County Chief Agriculture Officer, said the livestock sector supports more than 300,000 households in his county. "Our county is predominantly a livestock area and big fractions of the population are dependent on livestock trading. For people to get food and meet other family needs, they have to sell these animals," he said.
Regional Impact ¶
The pandemic is further complicating recovery from the losses communities suffered due to serious drought a year ago. Ameha Sebsibe, head of livestock and fisheries at the IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development, said the incomes of livestock-keeping communities are extremely vulnerable to the impacts of the pandemic.
Sebsibe flagged the negative consequences of the pandemic for the region's market in livestock products, noting that the price of cattle, sheep, and goats in Kenya's Samburu County dropped 40-60% in April from a year earlier due to low demand.
