Borana in northern Kenya now prefer camels to cattle

A study made in Isiolo County of semi-arid northern Kenya among Borana pastoralists has revealed that the Borana are letting go of their cattle culture and embracing camel production, possibly as a response to increased climate variability. As suggested by the title of the article “Camel rearing replacing cattle production among the Borana community in Isiolo County of Northern Kenya, as climate variability bites”, many Borana now prefer camels to cattle. Camels are playing an increasingly important role in income generation (selling of meat and milk) and food security, especially through consumption of milk by the pastoralist family. Some factors that hinder the Borana from realising the full social and economic potential of the camel are livestock diseases and raiding. This researchers recommend that more resources be allocated towards disease control and that the Kenya Meat Commission expand its market to accommodate camel meat, in addition to meat from cattle and small ruminants. The open-access article appeared in 2014 in the journal Pastoralism.

Posted on 12 July 2015 in Pastoral Research & Innovation, Pastoralism & Climate Change, Pastoralism & Marketing, Pastoralist Livelihoods & Nutrition