Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.

Kirinyaga Butchers to Undergo Comprehensive Training to Boost Leather Industry


Kirinyaga: Kirinyaga county has partnered with the national government to train butchers on the handling of hides and skins, aimed at growing the local leather industry. The training exercise, conducted at Kibingo slaughterhouse in Kerugoya, brought together 197 butchers and flayers as well as 20 members of staff working in the county’s livestock and veterinary department.



According to Kenya News Agency, the capacity-building initiative is part of the government’s Linda Ngozi initiative, aimed at improving the quality of hides and skins to support a competitive leather and its products manufacturing industry for improved earnings to producers. During the training, butchers were sensitized on appropriate methods of flaying, tools and equipment, as well as abattoir standards, learning how to properly handle raw animal skins and hides to minimize damage at all stages.



The training coincides with County Governor Anne Waiguru’s efforts in spearheading the development of an industrial park that will include a leather industry. Waiguru emphasized the leather industry’s potential to transform the county’s economy due to high demand from local leather producers and exporters. She also announced plans to distribute shoes made from local animal skins to ECDE students, building on the recent launch of free ECDE uniform distribution in the county.



The county government is committed to the leather industry’s growth by enhancing farmers’ capacity to maintain healthy skins on their animals through proper disease and tick control, alongside training those involved in slaughtering, as well as handling hides and skins. The County Executive for Agriculture and Livestock, Dr. John Gachara, highlighted Kirinyaga’s 52 slaughterhouses, whose butchers and flayers have now been equipped with relevant skills to maintain high-quality hides and skins.



Margaret Wakuthii, the County Leather Development Officer, stressed the importance of proper flaying techniques to maintain the quality of skins and hides. The initiative aims to equip butchers with the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively flay hides and skins without causing damage, thus enhancing the quality of skins and hides produced in Kirinyaga.



The Ag. Director of Leather Development at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Norah Chemirmir, outlined the government’s plan to transform Kenya’s leather industry through capacity-building and sensitization activities across the country. The objective is to empower the leather value chain to produce high-quality hides and skins, aligning with the government’s Bottom-up roadmap to revitalize the leather industry.



The national Directorate of Hides and Skins estimates that improving raw hides and skins quality could increase the value of wet blue export earnings by Sh28 billion. As part of the training, butchers received specially designed knives for flaying, along with certificates of participation, and they welcomed the initiative as a timely boost to the county’s leather industry.



Idd Abdulrahman, a butcher at Kibingo slaughterhouse, expressed that the training will not only improve skills but also enable more community members to earn a living by properly handling skins and hides. Another butcher, David Kanake, appreciated being equipped with the right tools, noting that it will enhance work quality and generate more income for the community.