This archive report was first published on 26 October 2021.
Siaya County, once plagued by tsetse flies and livestock diseases, is now witnessing a resurgence in animal farming, thanks to community crush pens.
Michael Obondo, a livestock farmer, recalls the days when his father would take their cows to communal cattle dips every week. The dips provided subsidised acaricides, which were essential for killing ticks and mites. However, the weekly visits have become a thing of the past, with farmers resorting to self-spraying or constructing community crush pens.
Michael Omole, a leader in Ran'gayo village, Alego-Usonga sub-county, has seen improved milk production among the over 30 livestock farmers in his community. This is after they were sensitised and provided with crush pens courtesy of the Ministry of Agriculture, through KENTTEC.
"We used to spend a lot of money in treating our animals but since we built a crush pen, we've seen an improvement in terms of what we can now save," said Omole.
Monica Awino, a farmer, attributes the success of the community crush pens to the eradication of tsetse flies, which had displaced many villagers in the 1950s. Paul Olela, the secretary of Ran'gayo crush pen, notes that the most affected villages are Ndisi, Malunga, Upanda, Uyemba, and Mur Gwen'g.
"I started rearing livestock more than 30 years ago but I decided to dispose of my herd after it proved unviable. But four months ago after training and establishment of crush pens in our area, I am back to animal farming, and I do not regret," said Olela.
Speaking to The Standard in 2021, KENTTEC Nyanza Regional Coordinator Bernard Chemweno said they have initiated groups where farmers register before getting trained. He said after training, farmers are issued with a spray pump and insecticides.
