‘Zero-cabbaging’ Maasai cattle to beat drought

By Daniel Nzia

It is a drought relief scene that has not been witnessed elsewhere. Emaciated cows belonging to Maasai herders heartily munch green, succulent cabbages then quench their thirst in a trough filled with clean water.

It is a refreshing sight, of hundreds of cows feeding to their fill, while all around them are signs of severe, persistent drought. A whistling wind raises clouds of soft dust that settles on carcasses of cows strewn all over, having died before relief arrived.

Relief supply

Members of the Hindu Council of Kenya have resorted to a unique relief supply effort to alleviate suffering for Maasai herders, who have migrated with their cattle to areas near Nairobi and other places.

Instead of offering relief food to the herders, the Hindu Council members have been supplying cabbages, dried hay and water to their cows.

"We reasoned that if we feed their cows and prevent them from dying, we will save the owners from losing all their wealth. When the drought is over they will still have some cows and they can increase their herds again," said Mr Vaghji Kerai spokesman of the Hindu Council.

A pile of cabbages looks like goods destined for the market at an open ground near Mlolongo, Nairobi, where about 4,000 cows are being held by their herders.

Kerai says council members were touched when they saw images on TV of cows dying from the drought.

"We decided to do something and we thought, if we save their cows, it would be akin to saving someone’s money from a collapsing bank," said Kerai.

The Hindu Council members buy cabbages from various markets, hay from a private ranch and carry water in a tanker.

It is a celebration when the convoy of the Hindu Council members arrives at the feeding ground every mid-morning with the supplies.

Cows and their herders run to the watering troughs then to the cabbages. Animals that had been lying in bare dust munch away at the cabbages and hay then surge for space at the trough when the lorry starts discharging water.

The Maasai herders, some having gone for long without a decent meal, also sort the cabbage pile for suitable ones, which they carry to their makeshift manyatta to eat.

While the animals belonging to the nearby Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) have been dying in high numbers at a holding yard, the Maasai herds on the open ground have shown remarkable signs of improvement since the daily feeding, which the Hindu Council members have sustained for about three weeks.

About 50 families from various parts of Kajiado District have camped at the plain near Mlolongo. They say the cabbage diet has had a big improvement on their cattle, some whose milk had dried up can now be milked again.

"We feed them on hay, molasses and cabbages and we have so far spent over Sh300,000 on this project," said Kerai.

"We were moved to compassion when we came here to supply relief food. We saw some men crying as they watched their cows die in the sun," said Kerai.

He said they have expanded the feeding from about the 4,000 animals at Mlolongo to include another 2,000 near the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, 1,500 near the Wilson Airport and another 2,000 at Manji Vai farm in Isinya, Kajiado.

Open ground

Council members leading the rare gesture include Mr Kanji Bhai of Nilan Enterprises and Mr Devji Chabadia, chairman of Sahjand Holdings of Kisumu and Kerai of Hitech Granite.

A herder from Kajiado, Simare ole Lemaron, said no other relief givers had directly moved to rescue their cattle from drought as the Hindu Council members had done.

"We are so grateful to the Hindu Council for coming to our aid. May the Almighty God bless them abundantly," he said.

Kerai said they would mobilise many members of their council to donate to the project until the situation improves.