A total of 4,400 goats have been distributed to needy families in Turkana County in a restocking exercise conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Turkana County Commissioner Julius Kavita led the initiative, accompanied by officers from the department of Livestock Development in Lokichoggio Sub-County.
A total of 72 households in Lokichoggio were given 360 goats, with each targeted household receiving five goats, including one he-goat.
Kavita said all 11 sub-counties in the county have received their allocations of the goats to support the needy families.
“These goats are not meant for sale, but they should breed and increase so that they can help the households in the future,” he said.
“As the president has been implementing subsidies to other sectors like tea, coffee, and sugarcane, the arid and semi-arid areas have also been considered in the goats restocking program,” added the county commissioner.
The residents expressed their appreciation to the government for helping uplift their livelihoods.
One of the beneficiaries, Margaret Ekumo could not hide her joy after she received five goats.
“These goats will help uplift my standard of living as they reproduce and increase,” she said.
Mark Werimo, from the state department for livestock production said the restocking exercise is meant to uplift the living standards of the host community.
Meanwhile, an assistant director at the department of livestock development, Wairimu Irungu, cautioned the beneficiaries against selling the goats but instead urged them to take care of them so that they can reproduce and multiply.
By Peter Gitonga
