Pastoralists in Laikipia County are now set to turn the cactus menace into a fortune, following a successful project of converting the invasive plant into processed animal feeds.
The research conducted by the Jomo Kenyatta University College of Science and Agriculture (JKUAT) and US-based Florida University involves how the succulent plant can be converted into pellets to feed livestock.
JKUAT Food Scientist Professor, Willis Owino, reveals that the success of the project, of which the two institutions have been testing in the past six months at Makurian village in Laikipia North Sub-county, will go a long way in cushioning livestock farmers from the adverse effects of recurrent droughts. "Animal feed in this area is a major challenge, especially during the dry season in which the community loses a substantial number of livestock, including cows, goats, sheep, and camels.
We felt that it was important to utilise this cactus to produce pellets and address the loss of livestock," says Professor Owino.
