Livestock keepers should avoid branding and tagging their herds since piercing and markings reduce the quality of skins and hides.
Kenya Leather Development Council chairman Bare Duale says the government is seeking overseas markets, and only high quality skins and hides will be cleared for exports.
Currently, the leather industry adds 10 billion shillings annually to the country’s economy with the government targeting to increase this contribution ten-fold to over 100 billion shillings through strengthening of the value chain.
To this end the government says it intends to train farmers on the best hides and skins production practices to ensure the raw materials conform to international market standards.
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This is because a majority of livestock keepers brand or tag their animals which reduces the quality of hides and skins.
This as a scarcity of skins has halted operations in most tanneries in the country with Ewaso Nyiro Leather Company operating at 30 percent of its production potential.
Elsewhere, farmers in Garissa County are set to benefit from a 35 million World Bank grant to mitigate against climate change effects.
Garissa Governor Ali Korane is urging area residents to consider diversify to crops to shield themselves from losses occasioned by livestock deaths due to harsh weather patterns.
farmers will be required to submit their proposals to a technical team that would vet applications for funding.
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