GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

  Importance of nomadic pastoralism to the economy of KENYA Source of human food with valuable proteins e.g. milk, meat/beef, and blood. It is a source of income to the pastoralists by selling farm products hence improving their standards of living. It is a source of employment e.g. through trade hence providing a livelihood for many people. It is a source of government revenue for setting up roads through taxing livestock transporters and dairy factories. The government earns foreign exchange used for setting up hospitals by exporting animal products e.g. hides and skins. It has helped to diversify the economy of KENYA hence ensuring constant capital inflow and reduced dependency on crop growing. Nomadic pastoralism has provided raw materials for industries that provide jobs e.g. meat packers and the leather tanning industry. It has helped to put idle land into use hence reducing resource wastage Animals are used as beasts of burden e.g. for transport and for pulling ox-plows ...

  Unreliable rainfall in their grazing fields which cannot support or sustain good pastures and water therefore leading to low quality herds. Very high temperatures do not favour survival of high quality exotic breeds. Poor vegetation in dry regions which leads to poor and unhealthy animals. The poor vegetation is caused majorly by the severe soil erosion in the areas. The native Zebu and Borah cattle do not yield sufficient milk and provide poor quality beef. They also mature very slowly compared to exotic breeds. Diseases and pests. Diseases such as E.C.F, foot and mouth disease, Anthrax, Rinderpest, cause heavy losses of stocks in the pastoral regions. Over stocking leads to destruction of environment and severe soil erosion resulting to poor pastures. Inadequate veterinary services in the pastoral areas lead to poor breeds. Inadequate transport hinders accessibility of the areas. This lowers the demand for the animals and their products. Low education level and culture hinders ...

Nomadic pastoralism is the extensive grazing of livestock on natural pasture involving constant and seasonal migration of the nomads/pastoralists and their livestock in search of water and pasture; a process referred to as transhumance Steps taken by Kenyan Government to Improve the Quality of Livestock in the areas practicing Nomadic Pastoralism Establishing demonstration ranches to sensitize pastoralists on better methods of animal husbandry. Cattle dips have been constructed to control pests. The government is encouraging group ranching to enable the pastoralists to view livestock keeping as a commercial undertaking. Boreholes have been sunk and dams constructed in the practicing areas to provide water for livestock. Introduction of drought resistant nutritious grass. Encouraging cross breeding of indigenous breed with hybrid breeds to improve the quality of livestock. Improvement of transport system in the areas to facilitate transportation to the markets. Establishment of Kenya Me...