Songot, April 23, 2025- (Public Communication and Media Relations)
The strategic collaboration between IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) and the the County Government through the Directorate of Livestock Production, and other development partners, play a key role in ensuring the Naremito Fodder Producer Group’s intention to strengthen livestock feed systems through a pasture seed bulking marketing strategy becomes a success in the future.
This collaboration is envisaged to bring together technical, policy, and market actors to support seed bulking groups in a unified and efficient manner.
Speaking during a meeting at Mifugo Complex with a consultant, Seth Omollo and his assistant, Maureen Karega, who works with IGAD under the Department of ICPALD on development of market strategy for grass and forage seeds, the Director of Livestock Production, Bobby Ekadon states, “the Development of a Pasture Seed Bulking Marketing Strategy marks a significant milestone in improving livestock feed systems and supporting resilient pastoral livelihoods. With growing demand for quality forage and sustainable livestock production, the commercialisation of pasture seed in Naremito in Lokichoggio, Pelekech in Kakuma, among others, spread countywide, offers both economic opportunity and ecological value.”
Similarly, he said, the seed bulking strategy is vital to ensuring the availability of high-quality forage varieties adapted to local conditions. A dedicated marketing strategy for this sector enhances the visibility and viability of seed bulking enterprises, enabling market linkages, standardisation and quality assurance, where increased income for producers and sustainable rangeland management will be the focus.
Raising the hopes of a bright future for the forage producer groups, Josephine Emase, Deputy Director of Livestock Production, echoing the sentiments of her Director added that, “the implementation of bulking marketing strategy signals a new dawn for forage-based livestock development producers in Turkana, who are bound to benefit from commercialization of the bulk fodder production.”
Emase advocates for continuous dialogue with producers, timely field assessments, and stakeholder synergy that will remain at the heart of this effort. She assured the ICPALD and other partners that together as a team, they would build a resilient and vibrant pasture seed industry that fuels the future of livestock production in Turkana and beyond.
Later in the day, the team travelled to Pelekech and Naremito Rangeland Management Groups to interact with producer members and get a feeling of the whole production.
Lokewan Eregae, 48, one of the Naremito members, admitted how the Farm has economically benefited them since it was operationalised in 2019. “On a good harvest, we produce between 330 bales of fodder while raising 500 kgs of pasture seed. She equally said, locally a bale sells at sh250 a kilo, whereas that of a pasture seed costs sh1000 per kilogram.”
The 80-member group, comprising 66 females and 14 males, asserted that the 60-acre farm is a game changer for them. And it has transformed lives for good.
The farm is eight kilometres from the Songot village.
Acknowledging the fodder production to them is a game changer, Chair of the Group, Lucas Epong, 46, however said, they are calling on well-wishers and partners to help overcome the challenges of scarce water supply that comes in a seasonal duration, limited market base for the supply of grass and pasture seeds, lack of good structured fence that has resulted to cattle disruption and distraction of their seeds, inadequate capacity building on pasture farming and costly certification of seeds.
Omollo, the consultant, who bought and carried 2kgs of pasture seeds, was a testament to his assignment to find a market for the Turkana fodder production. He pledged to support, owing to his latest travel to Kampala, Uganda, before coming to Lodwar.
