CAMEROON – Heifer International, an international integrated animal-agriculture development organisation, is to pilot a biogas production project in the country using pig manure.

Speaking to Cameroon Tribune recently in Yaounde, the Country Director, Dr Njakoi Henry, said the experiment will be conducted in the South West and Littoral Regions where there are large concentrations of pig farmers who are located close to the market in Douala.

“Producing biogas using pig manure is quite challenging because you need much of it to supply biogas digesters. It has worked well with poultry and dairy cow manure, and we now want to try pig manure,” said the Heifer International Cameroon boss. He however, pointed out that appropriate dimensions of biogas digesters have to be determined in order to ensure the success of the project.

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Livestock prices have dropped by about 70 per cent in drought-stricken districts. A cow is selling for about Sh4,000 in these areas from Sh13,000.

A joint report by the government, World Food Programme, USAid and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network links the decline to lack of water and pasture.

The Kenya Food Security Report said 15 per cent of animals had died in Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Moyale, eastern Samburu and northern Isiolo.

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UGANDA – A ban on pork and its products in Moyo district could cost business people millions of shillings due to the outbreak of the contagious African swine fever.

According to The New Vision, people dealing in pork, some employing over eight workers, have been rendered jobless after the district veterinary office put a quarantine on transportation of pigs and closed all pork joints on Wednesday.

African swine fever is a viral disease which is spread from one infected animal to another through body fluids or eating meat of the animal killed by the fever.

It can kill an animal three to four days after infection.

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