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: 30 September 2022; Hits: 540

Camels produce 3X more milk for farmers in Kenya’s Arid North

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By George Munene

“If I had 75 cows they would produce an average of 10-20 liters of milk per day, that same number of camels gives me 50-60 liters and can be milked any time of the day, unlike cows which have a fixed milking schedule” explained Haji Hussein, an Isiolo camel farmer for decades

The businessman who sells the bulk of his milk to clients in Nairobi says demand for the white gold is insatiable.

“Proceeds from the sale of camel milk sustains my family of two wives and heard of cattle and goats,” he pointed out

Hussein’s camels are milked in the morning to avoid spoilage by the region's characteristic steaming sun before they are released to forage for themselves.

More than a source of milk, he also relies on the beasts of burden for transport and meat.

Being low in fat content and high in protein and antioxidants which help prevent cell damage that can cause cancer, diabetes, as well as heart diseases experts, have classed camel milk as a superfood this has led to a spike in demand which has seen global camel milk products market value predicted to be $18.3 billion by 2027.

In Isiolo town, most milk from camels is collected with motorcycles and collated at Anolei Women’s Camel Milk Cooperative.

While there it is cooled and ferried to the primary market in Eastleigh, other neighborhoods of Nairobi, and Isiolo town.

“During the dry season, we collect an average of 4,000 liters daily and 6,000-7,000 during the wet season,” illuminated the cooperative’s patron Aden Ali Muhammad.

Fat content in camel milk is between 1.2 to 6.4 per cent. It also contains high linoleic acid and unsaturated fatty acids, which is vital for nutrition. It is lower in saturated fat and offers more vitamins C and B, calcium, iron, and potassium to cow milk.

The value of camel milk for farmers remains limited by a lack of intensified husbandry, mechanisation, and technological adoption.

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: 23 September 2022; Hits: 678

Staple food prices to remain high through 2022

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By George Munene

Staple food prices in East Africa are expected to remain above average for the remainder of 2022 due to anticipated below-average harvests; high costs of production including fuel and fertilizers cost in Kenya, Burundi, Ethiopia, Sudan, and S.Sudan; below-average stored stocks; and localized market disruptions due to insecurity in Sudan, S.Sudan, and Ethiopia.

According to data from the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), enduring currency depreciation and a lack of hard currency are also making it more expensive to acquire agro-commodities.

Maize prices increased in Uganda and parts of Tanzania due to supply from the below-average June to July harvest and regional imports.

Strong East Africa demand for maize caused by the drought continued to alter regional trade patterns. Many East African nations imported maize from Southern Africa (Tanzania, South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique) despite a double-digit harvest decline, causing an atypical increase in the price of maize in local markets of exporting countries.

In Kenya, livestock prices were stable due to improved fodder availability but prices were significantly above last year's and the five-year average.

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Global staple food prices decreased due to seasonal supply increases from harvests and the new agreement to open Ukraine’s seaports, and reduced market volatility.

Global fuel and fertilizer prices declined driven by softening global demand.

However, all prices remain above last year and the five-year average.

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: 22 September 2022; Hits: 1315

Government mulls contracted yellow maize farming to reduce feed cost

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By George Munene

The national government is working with major millers to develop a plan for contracted yellow maize farming by local farmers to arrest the growing cost of animal feeds and mitigate the cost of importing the grain.

The global scarcity and high cost of imported yellow maize-- the critical material in animal feed mix-- has seen half of small-scale millers shut their businesses and major processors operate at half capacity.

The state’s open window for import of duty-free yellow maize has seen millers have difficulties in purchasing the required 99.1 per cent GMO-free yellow maize.

“The price of animal feeds has shot up to historic levels. A long-term measure to curb the rising cost is to put in place a framework that will encourage processors to contract local farmers to supply the raw material to help reduce overreliance on imports,” said Harry Kimtai, PS, State Department of Livestock. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Irrigation.

A 70-kilogram bag of layer mash is currently selling for between Sh4,000 and 5,000 across various parts of the country, up from Sh3,800 in April.

Millers are scheduling a further price increase as The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) increased electricity prices by 15.7 percent and the slashing of state subsidy has seen fuel prices surge to a historic Sh179.30per liter-- up 20 shillings.

“Though yellow maize is mostly earmarked for the supply of the animal feed sector, it is billed to be more nutritious than white maize in human diets," Kimtai added.

Research has proved that yellow maize has a higher nutritional value than ordinary white maize, because of its higher levels of Lutein, Carotenoids and vitamin A whose deficiency among children in Africa may result in illness, blindness, and even death.

The Principal Secretary further noted that locally grown yellow maize could also be used by millers to blend flour meant for human consumption.

Kenyans have for a long time frowned upon yellow maize considering that it is mostly imported as famine relief food and its use as livestock feed in countries of origin.

According to KALRO Director General Dr. Eliud Kirege, the body has developed a drought-resistant variety of yellow maize seed for distribution to farmers.

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