The factors influencing the collapse of communal cattle dips after privatization of veterinary services in Kenya: a case of Maara District, Tharaka-Nithi County

Abstract

This Study is premised on the background that the Livestock farmers in Maara District of Eastern Province of Kenya have stopped using the cattle dipping facilities in the District. The purpose of the study was to find out, from the farmers, why out of the 32 communal cattle dips that were once operating only three are now operational. It is envisaged that the results of this study would assist the government when formulating tick control policies in future; the researchers when exploring the various tick control methods; the farmers when undertaking various developments projects and the development agents while implementing various projects and programmes.

The objectives of the Study were, (i) to determine the extent to which Community Participation in management contributed to the collapse of communal cattle dips, (ii) to establish if the cost of dipping played any role in the collapse of dips and (iii) to determine if Community Sensitization during the Privatization process played any role in the collapse of the dips.

The Research Methodology was a Descriptive survey. The Study population was the 9902 Livestock farmers in two Divisions of Maara District. Simple random sampling was used to select 30% of the Divisions in the District for the Study and systematic random sampling used to come up with a sample of 119 respondents. Data was collected from the Livestock farmers through Questionnaires which were administered by the Researcher and his two Assistants.

The emanating data was coded, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS and thereafter interpreted to enable conclusions and necessary recommendations to be made. The Study found that Community Sensitization before handing over contributed most to the collapse of communal cattle dips after Privatization of Veterinary Services followed by cost of dipping while Community Participation had the least effect on the collapse of communal cattle dips after Privatization of Veterinary Services.

This Study recommends that the government should finance the maintenance of the dips and also ensure that proper management systems are in place to manage the dips for proper functioning. This Study also recommends that the government with aid from non-governmental organizations should intervene to bring ﾷthe charges down so as to ensure that many farmers will be able to access the dip to have their cattle rid of ticks for maximum production.