Samburu County has initiated the revival of the Nomotio Livestock Improvement Farm, which has been inactive for the past 15 years.

According to Moses Leluata, the County Executive Committee Member in charge of Agriculture and Livestock, the 700-acre farm is now operational and actively engaged in the interbreeding of various cattle species, Galla goats, and Doper sheep.

Currently, the farm is focusing on the interbreeding of Sahiwal and Boran cattle to enhance local dairy livestock.

"In the past two and a half years, since Governor Lati Lelelit took office, we have been actively working on the interbreeding of Sahiwal and Boran cattle, as well as producing hay for community use during drought conditions," Leluata stated.

He also mentioned that a dam has been constructed on the farm to ensure a constant water supply for the animals and the local community during droughts.

The revival of the Nomotio livestock improvement farm aims to provide a consistent supply of cattle breeds that are resilient to the climatic challenges facing the county.

Through this initiative, the county government has been able to supply locals with Sahiwal and Zebu bulls across all 15 administrative units.

"We have allocated Sahiwal bulls to the highland wards and Boran bulls to the lowland wards of Samburu East and North constituencies," he added.

Joseph Lemunyei, the farm chairman, noted that the interbreeding program is improving the production of milk and meat.

"We can now produce bulls that we sell to farmers for Sh15,000, which is a competitive price compared to what they would find in the market," he explained.

The project is also focused on breeding Galla goats and Doper sheep, in addition to producing hay that is available to the local community. Leluata emphasized that farmers from the county will have priority when it comes to purchasing bulls, goats, and sheep from the farm.

"We want to ensure our farmers do not have to travel to other counties to buy livestock; we want them to have easy access to affordable prices from the farm," he stated.

Christine Leseewa, a farmer from Kisima and one of the beneficiaries, praised the initiative from the county government, describing it as admirable and beneficial for improving livestock quality.

"It is a well-thought-out idea, and if properly implemented and maintained, it can help us break free from the cycle of poverty exacerbated by the ongoing climate change crisis," she commented.

Sylapia Lenamatiwo, a nominated Member of the County Assembly, welcomed the decision to revive the livestock breeding farm, calling it a positive step.

"This will strengthen the community's resilience in the face of climate change. As a county assembly, we will support such initiatives by approving funding," she said.

Jane Nakinyi, a special representative at the county assembly, also expressed her support for the initiative, emphasizing that the distribution of the interbred livestock is a positive gesture for the pastoral community.

"We expect to see improvements in milk and meat production in semi-arid areas like Samburu East and North constituencies,” she remarked.

Sarah Lekirenyei, another nominated MCA, stated that the interbreeding program would significantly enhance livestock production in the county.