The County Government of Uasin Gishu has come up with interventions to assist farmers and other players in the industry in improving the management of parasites, and diseases, quality breeding technologies and the quality of hides and skins that meet market standards.
Uasin Gishu County County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Edward Sawe says players in the hides and skins in the region have been making 80 per cent of losses because of the very low quality of the hides and skins, lack of proper training and inadequate skills on modern for flaying techniques.
“As a County, we have made arrangements with Alpharama Company to ensure that our flayers are given flaying knives and trained to ensure the best quality hides and skins are delivered to the market and that that value chain is up and running,” CECM Sawe explained.
The CECM was speaking in Eldoret during a training session with CKL Africa on dairy management focusing on disease control, breeding management, hides and skins and leather techniques, parasite management and Digi cow record keeping digitization methods.
Sawe said the county government has put in place programs and processes to ensure that the hides and skins sector which has been neglected for many years is revived through partnerships with Alpharama Company which is one of the off-takers to train flayers on the best ways of ensuring flaying is done correctly and acceptably.
Veterinary expertise and agro vets
Additionally, he said the county is working with CKL Company to further equip all veterinary expertise and agro vets to enable them to dispense products properly and help farmers get sufficient training on products they purchase.
“To improve livestock quality and production, we are also providing subsidised AI services to our farmers through the cooperatives. We have ensured every cooperative has a service provider with a nitrogen tank,” he added.
Speaking during the training session, Kimutai Victor the North Rift regional manager said that CKL Africa is committed to offering veterinary vaccines and drugs to assist farmers in disease control as well as offering solutions to farm problems and enhancing training to veterinary staff in the county.
Kimutai added that the company has reached over three-quarters of residents of Uasin Gishu with CRV semen genetics which has improved the cow breeds towards dairy traits.
