New market offers relief to pastoralist community in Laikipia
It is 8:30am at the new Kimanjo Livestock Market in Mukogodo West ward, Laikipia North constituency.
This is a market day and Mary Naipanoi, with her three children, sits pensively hoping to sell her four goats.
She and her children trekked 16km from Ilpolei village, braving the early morning cold and the danger of encountering marauding elephants.
The family had an option to board a vehicle to Oldonyiro village in Isiolo County, 34km away, or trek 15km to Doldol township to access a livestock market.
After a long wait in the morning, Samuel Kimani – a trader from Nanyuki – arrives at around 10am and offers to buy the four goats at a good price. Within 30 minutes, Mr Kimani had filled his pickup.
“I’m happy because this livestock market opens up the opportunity to sell our animals to many traders in this region. It is close and has enabled us to have value for our livestock. Previously, we used to cover long distances to sell our products,” Ms Naipanoi tells the Nation.
The ultramodern market sits on seven acres donated by the Musul community group ranch.
Other group ranches in the Kimanjo area are Tiamamut, Ilmotiok, Nkiloriti, Kijabe and Koija.
The livestock sale yard, built for Sh11 million, is a hive of activity as traders load sheep, cattle, goats, camels and chickens into their lorries and pickups.
In Laikipia North, there are no banks. But the opening up of the new livestock market has attracted community microfinance institutions, angling to tap into the greater liquidity during market days.
The market has precipitated the growth of the Nasaruni, Melau Nayieu and Laikipia Livestock Marketing cooperatives.
The sale yard was built by World Vision Kenya, through the Imara programme, and financed by the government of Sweden.
Bandit attacks
After its completion, World Vision officially handed it over to the Laikipia County government and the community.
Area Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) chairman Joseph Kaparo says the market will help in eradicating rampant cases of cattle theft in the area and precipitate economic growth.
“Previously, we were conducting the livestock trade in the forest and our security was not guaranteed because of bandit attacks. There were cases of stolen animals on sale,” he said.
“This market will help in eradicating cattle rustling because measures have been put in place to ensure that the animals sold are not proceeds of theft.”
LMA is a community entity tasked to co-manage the market jointly with the county government.
“We are optimistic that this market will uplift the livelihoods of our people because it also serves traders from neighbouring Samburu, Isiolo and Nyeri counties. The modern market will spur economic growth in this area,” Mr Kaparo says.
Laikipia Deputy Governor John Mwaniki says the devolved unit is keen to uplift the economy of the pastoralist communities of Laikipia North who are mainly Maasai.
The county department of Agriculture, he says, has introduced to the region the aspect of feedlots to increase pasture for livestock and eradicate issues of illegal grazing on private farms and ranches.
He argues that the cultural shift to modern farming will maximise returns for the pastoralists and enhance economic empowerment.
He says the county government, in partnership with KCB Bank and Kenya Market Trust (KMT), will entrench the process of digital tagging of animals at the grassroots.
“We want to safeguard the reputation and integrity of this market by ensuring that the animals that are brought for sale are identified through digital tags,” he says.
“So far, we have 40,000 tagged animals in Laikipia and this will not only discourage the sale of stolen animals but will also enhance financial transactions.”
“We are working closely with KCB and Kenya Market Trust to ensure that more animals are tagged. We want the pastoral community in Laikipia North to feel they are part of us and contribute to the County GDP,” he adds.
Simon Mbuki, manager of the Imara programme under World Vision, says the project started in 2019 and was anchored on strengthening the community’s market component, adding that the bustling market can accommodate 1,000 livestock per day.
“We built modern infrastructure that attracts different market actors into this region. We expect it to compete with others in this region because it is unique. We also expect the community to have more adaptation mechanisms in terms of climate change,” Mr Mbuki says.
