Institute of Primate Research

Nairobi, Kenya

An Overview Of Our Solution

Kenya indigenous goat breeds (Capra hircus) have not been accurately described. Therefore, there is threat of erosion of unique genotypes such as those associated with adaptability to dryland ecosystem and to disease resistance, through indiscriminate crossbreeding.

Who is this solution impacting?

Community Type

Rural

Organization type

Gouvernementale

Ecosystem (select all that apply)

Deserts

Grasslands

Population impacted

1,000,000

Size of agricultural area

over 10,000 ha

Production quantity

over 10,000Kg

People employed

10000

Describe your solution

Study was conducted to characterize Kenya indigenous goats from Masaai and Boran/Somali pastoralist communities using mitochondria (cyt b) marker. These data show that the majority of Kenyan indigenous goats are not distinct and their genetic structure is very diverse; however, distinct haplogroups were present. Morover, these indigenous goats were phylogenetically related to Iberian/Mediterranean/Middle-East and that the two populations are under different selection pressure. The information can be applied in management of conservation-guided breeding programs by crossing the indigenous breed’s unique genes with high productivity traits from another source. We are currently analyzing the pastoralist indigenous knowledge field work questionnaires on social economics, land tenures/conservation strategies and ethnomedical practices that can be complimented/harmonized to foster continuity of pastoral communities management practices and adoption of relevant veterinary medicine practices

Describe your implementation

Implementing Model for breeding of Kenyan indigenous goats in Narok/Kajiado (Masai) Community enterprise Animal breeding objectives under conditions of harsh and highly variable conditions requires careful assessment of environmental conditions and the farming practices. ‘Hardiness’ remains one of the most important considerations to reduce animal losses. Hence there is a need to apply different strategies in the improvement of goat production in different production systems. A well-developed and operational breeding program for the Kenyan indigenous goats will translate into improved animal off-takes, meat and milk and hence income to the local community. The breeding objectives will comprise genetic improvement of those traits that will increase returns and reduce costs to the producers. The choice of traits will be made in close consultation with the farming community taking into account their needs and their indigenous knowledge as an intellectual property.

External connections

Key Partner is the Kenyan government. Implementation involves the local indigenous communities. Upgrading breeds are from Mediterranean region

What is the environmental or ecological challenge you are targeting with your solution?

Increasing arid land goat productivity (meat wt) while conserving their unique genetic trait advantages and improving ecology of the land they graze/browse.

Describe the context in which you are operating

This was initially an academic project but is presently being implemented by the Kenyan government focusing on North and North eastern Kenya

How did you impact natural resource use and greenhouse gas emissions?

This study provided further information on genetic diversity of Kenya indigenous goats as a conservation interest in order to avoid erosion of unique genotypes due to uncontrolled breeding. Investment in animal weight over agility may limit tolerance to heat/drought and can limit pastoralists’ long distances migratory nature but the communities can adopt ecological improvement by intensifying shrubs conservation and growth in the browsing regions. Breeding programs should select for tolerance to drought and local diseases. Unpredictable large scale loss of goats and sheep reared by Kenya’s pastoralist communities is attributed to disease outbreaks that cannot be managed by traditional methods. Government investment in epidemiological research to define etiological pathogens and apply interventions using alternatives in veterinary medicine is a plausible supplementary strategy that may not necessarily discourage approaches based on traditional medicines.

Language(s)

Kiswahili, Boran, Somali and Maasai languages

Water

conservation of environment improves weather patterns. Vegatation attracts rain

Food Security/Nutrition

Increased meat output per hectare. Predictable capacity of animals per acreage. Predictable culling and sales.

Economic/Sustainable Development

Society entrepreneurship management of sales and economic empowerment of the community

Climate

Improved ecosystem improves regional weather and climate in the long term

Sustainability

The indigenous goat population will be improved by genetically related high productivity breeds in the field station near the communities. The implementation of the project will facilitate better interactions between the participating farmers and increase their contact with the extension agents. These contacts will result in change in animal management. The participating farmers can form community based entrepreneurship and breeder’s society this can set breeding standards and promote the improved breed as their own. The money generated from the program through sales of breeding stock, milk and culled animals will be enough to make the program self-sustaining.

Return on investment

The basic question were supported by two independent grants amounting to App $50,000. Regional implementation is projected to cost $500,000

Entrant Image

field work and lab work indigenous goats

How could we successfully replicate this solution elsewhere?

This model involves pastoralist communities complementing their indigenous knowledge in pastoral farming and ecological knowledge.

Overview