Abstract
The study aimed to evaluate the current status of livestock marketing in Marsabit County. A survey was conducted in six markets using pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires to gather data. The Market committees interviewed were purposefully selected while traders sampled were identified using simple systematic random sampling. The data was analyzed using SPSS Version 25. Descriptive statistics, cross tabulation, and means comparison was analyzed based on markets location. This study revealed that pastoral markets suffer from several inefficiencies such as low purchasing power, recurring droughts that made livestock a risky business, low levels of education and limited business skills among the traders, and lack of banking and credit facilities. The role of the youth is pivotal in the steering the future of livestock production and trade in the ASAL. Thus the study recommends capacity building of traders to enhance their business skills, linking of traders with banking, loaning institutions, modern abattoir for export markets and innovative ways of mitigating drought related risks. Keywords: pastoralists, livestock marketing, traders, market inefficiencies. DOI : 10.7176/JNSR/9-6-07 Publication date :March 31 st 2019
Highlights
The arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) of Kenya make up more than 80% of Kenya’s landmass, support 70% of the livestock population in the country and about 30% of the total human population (Barret et al, 2003). 90% of the wild game that supports much of the tourism sector in Kenya sits in the ASAL and much of Kenya’s potential and exploited commercial mineral wealth is in the ASAL
This accelerated sedentarization, increased aridity and climate variability has resulted to high livestock mortality that if the livestock had been earlier utilized for trade would have averted the high poverty levels impoverishing the pastoralists
Since pastoralists hold most of their wealth in the form of livestock, markets for animals exert considerable influence over their livelihoods, both by establishing the value of their assets and by affecting herd management decisions
Summary
The arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) of Kenya make up more than 80% of Kenya’s landmass, support 70% of the livestock population in the country and about 30% of the total human population (Barret et al, 2003). 90% of the wild game that supports much of the tourism sector in Kenya sits in the ASAL and much of Kenya’s potential and exploited commercial mineral wealth is in the ASAL. 90% of the wild game that supports much of the tourism sector in Kenya sits in the ASAL and much of Kenya’s potential and exploited commercial mineral wealth is in the ASAL. Modernization has made pastoralists to change diets, settle to access basic amenities like schools and hospitals and even frequently indulge in livestock trade as a key economic activity to cope with cash economy. This accelerated sedentarization, increased aridity and climate variability has resulted to high livestock mortality that if the livestock had been earlier utilized for trade would have averted the high poverty levels impoverishing the pastoralists
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