YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS Vol. 6 no. 3, 2011 13DROught & mE

Galla goats, common in nothern Kenya, are well adapted to dry areas. Their highly nutritious milk is important for growing children.

In the vast arid and semi-arid regions of East Africa it is difficult to produce crops. Most people

depend on the sale of livestock products (milk, meat, hides) and livestock for their livelihood. Livestock is the main source of food and people keep different species that cope well with the harsh dry environment.

Well-adapted livestock in these regions are breeds of sheep, goats, camels, cows and donkeys. These animals are kept for different purposes but all support people’s livelihood.

Different animals also feed on different plants, so they use the existing vegetation in a more balanced way than only one animal species would. The animals could be browsers or grazers.

Browsers and grazersBrowsers, like goats, donkeys and camels, feed mainly on the leaves, pods, fruits and other nutritious parts of a large variety of plants including bushes, shrubs, trees and at times grass.

Grazers like cows and sheep feed mainly on grasses and softer vegetation close to the ground. Donkeys are both browser and grazer, feeding on grass but also on shrubs and bushes.

How are different species adapted to dry areas?Animals and plants develop special qualities over time to help them survive in their environment. All livestock breeds in dry areas are adapted to—Heat — for example, sheep have hair coats that release more heat than wool; donkeys’ large ears release heat; light-coloured coats reflect heat.Water shortages — camels, sheep and goats have dry droppings and thick urine so they lose little water through their waste; camels can go without water for 2 weeks. Food shortages — donkeys, camels, sheep, goats and Boran cattle can all digest coarse vegetation; donkeys have special teeth to help them grind rough food; the fatty tissue in camels’ humps and sheep’s tails provides energy when necessary; goats and camels are very

active foragers and can cover a wide area in search of plants. They have mouths adapted to browse even thorny plants. Goats can even climb or stretch up, standing on their hind legs, to reach higher leaves.Disease — local animals are more resistant to local diseases than crossbreeds or exotic breeds; the smooth coats of Boran cattle protect them from ticks.

Species Milk Meat Hides & skins

Transport & draughtpower

Sheep

Goats

Cattle

Camels

Donkeys

Raising livestock in drylands

Camels are a very important animal in dry areas because they are best adapted to survive under harsh conditions. They produce milk even during dry seasons and drought. The milk is high in vitamin C and protein. Some highland farmers use camels for ploughing. They are important assets for pastoralist families and valuable as dowry.

The most common cattle breed in Kenyan drylands is the Boran. Cattle in pastoralist arid areas are mainly reared for meat and milk production. Although treasured as assets, they may be sold in time of need (for example, to pay school fees).

Donkeys are used by pastoralists in search of grazing and water and by farmers transporting farm produce to markets or water and feed from farms to homesteads.

Like goats, red Maasai and black-headed Somali sheep supply cash income—they are easy to sell because they cost less than bigger animals. Sheep and goats provide manure in addition to meat and hides, and serve in dowry arrangements and other traditional uses.