PASTORAL ECONOMY NEEDS RE-ENGINEERING

                     A ray of hope is beaming on the forgotten herders of the former Northern Frontier Districts (NFDs). Almost all Governors of these outlying counties have created a stand-alone department (you may call it county ministries) of Pastoral Economy. This is a step in the right direction. It is a clear indicator to the cow trader that his interests are under protection. That his dignity is going to be restored. 

                     Creating the department is one thing. Drawing policies geared to redeeming the lives of the populace is the second. Again implementing those policies is another step. Methinks it will be correct to conclude that the creation of this crucial office was pushed by the need to implement urgent policies. However, it may be wrong to believe that all is set and we should just wait for successes to trickle down. For true successes are fruits of shared discourse.

                      With this in mind I offer to contribute the little I know in order to uplift the lives of the many depending on livestock:- 

                      1) Think of introducing Warehouse Receipt System (WRS). In WRS farmers/herders deliver their product to an accredited warehouse, and obtain a warehouse receipt. Upon receiving the warehouse receipt the farmer proceeds to use it as collateral for short-term borrowing to obtain working capital. Besides, warehouse receipts provide farmers with an instrument that will allow them to extend the sales period of their produce well beyond the harvesting season (until when prices have improved).

                      2) Supremacy of governments is meant to protect the weak, the lowest and the slowest. This demands that you pass laws that advance the interests of the people and not laws that shield middlemen. 

                      3) Create special grazing zones, say in every Division. Provide them with extension services. Put the right people with the right skills on the ground to teach the people about modern methods of livestock keeping. It is time we shift from owning a thousand low quality cows to owning a hundred high quality ones. It is about quality, not quantity.

                       4) Create contacts with potential markets. Successful marketing entails sharing information about your product. Organize exhibitions to help open up the county.

                       5) Offer tax breaks to the lowest of the lowest. Economy is grown by empowering the bottom of the pyramid. Focus on this group. I know County Governments need money to run and fulfill their mandate. But this should not be an excuse to overtax the weak that are still in I.C.U struggling to recover economically.

                      6) Trading in livestock is all about weight-and-quality. Build abattoirs near the people. Organize them in groups to reduce the cost of running the business and hence maximize profits.

                       7) Farming diversification is key to checking food insecurity. Greenhouse farming is ideal for these dry and water scarce regions. It is affordable, not prone to pests and yields high returns. A number of organizations are offering these services for free (or at an affordable fee). Institutions of higher learning too possess extensive knowledge on this. Approach them. I believe they won’t hesitate.

                    I have deep conviction that this is the moment for a successful take-off. It is that Biblical moment when the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey. However, this demands long-sightedness. It demands wisdom and courage. I long for that moment when NFDs will be known for their booming economies and not cattle rustling.