Milk has been the staple food of residents of the Samburu district of Northern Kenya, but more recently decreasing livestock numbers have forced communities to rely on other types of foods - such as grains - which has reduced the amount of important nutrients in milk from many families’ diets.

Through this project, Brown School researchers in partnership with community organizations, have introduced Toggenburgs, a new breed of goat that produces more milk and is more well-adapted to the area’s environmental conditions than the traditional Samburu goat. An increase in milk production means that familles will have enough to consume on a regular basis, which is beneficial for young children.  Because the goats fetch higher prices in the market, these families economic conditions also may improve over time.  Additionally, since Toggenburgs do not require extensive herding - unlike typical Samburu goats - the amount of child labor needed to care for the animals may be reduced, possibly providing more children with the opportunity to go to school.

Currently, thirty households in the Siambu community of Samburu are participating in the project.  The households have formed five groups and each group has received one female and one male Toggenburg goat. These households will begin breeding their goats and within two generations researchers expect that the goats will be at the optimal stage to produce increased amounts of milk.

Investigator:

Carolyn Lesorogol
Associate Professor, Brown School
clesorogol@wustl.edu

Funders:

• Center for New Institutional Social Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis