By Christine Tarayie
Maasai women from Kumpa area, Kajiado Central have benefited from a free training on manual hay harvesting and storage in a bid to boost milk production and empower them economically.
The programme supported by Brookside Dairy Company aims at ensuring constant milk supply during the dry spell.
The initiative followed concerns that most farmers from the drought stricken region are now willing to harvest hay but lack skills on how to do it.A farmer is charged between Sh60, 000 and Sh70,000 to harvest and bale grass from a 10-acre piece of land making it unaffordable.
The training which has so far seen 1,200 women benefit entails manual hay production of cutting grass using slashers , pangas and wooden box or manual manhole to package the hay.
According to Brookside Dairy Extension Manager Titus Kariuki having sufficient forage for livestock will ensure sustainable milk production.