Pokot pastoralists from western Kenya worked with the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity to sell a unique yoghurt they make, giving them a regular income for the first time. Getting to this point required enriching the grazing pastures, taking better care of the livestock and improving the quality and consistency of the yoghurt. Beyond income, the people have gained a greater awareness of value of their Pokot culture.

The problem

Western Kenya between Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana, is home to the Pokot people, one of 54 tribes recognized in Kenya. The Pokot were traditionally nomadic pastoralists, moving their livestock from place to place in search of fresh grazing. Today they are mostly settled in villages, but remain in close contact with the cattle and goats that represent their wealth. Partly as a result of this settlement, raising livestock is less common than it used to be. In addition, settled communities have lost pride in their food culture. Yoghurt, once a staple for the herders while they were out looking for grazing, is made by just a few families for their own consumption. A group of about 65 people from the villagers of Tartar and Soibee on the slopes of Mount Elgon came together with Slow Food to develop their traditional yoghurt as an engine of development.

The Project

Ash from the kromwo tree is the defining ingredient of ash yoghurt, which is prepared in a gourd that is hollowed out, dried, and then treated with boiling water, kromwo wood and milk to season it. The animals are milked by hand, twice a day, directly into a prepared gourd. Milk from cows and from goats is never mixed. Cow’s milk yoghurt is for men while goat’s milk yoghurt, which is more flavourful and nutritious, is for women and children. Kromwo ash is added to the milk in the gourd, which is then left somewhere cool, on a shaded rack or partially buried in the ground. Micro-organisms act on the milk during this period, souring it and separating whey from milk solids. After three days the whey is drained off and the yoghurt shaken. The result is a smooth, thick drink to which the ash imparts an aromatic note and a characteristic pale gray colour.
Ash yoghurt is part of the cultural identity of the Pokot community, and a reason why Slow Food chose this product to strengthen the community’s finances. The path taken was to gradually increase the health and productivity of the animals and improve the production process, with the ultimate goal of a high-quality product that respects Pokot traditions and is also safe and hygienic. One of the first steps was to enrich the grazing pastures with more nutritious plants and train the people to improve the health of their animals. A local veterinarian, Ronald Juma Wakwabubi, worked with the Pokot people on every phase of production, coming with the farmers to Italy and receiving reciprocal visits from an Italian veterinarian. The community has created a livestock register, an essential tool for systematically improving animal health and productivity, discovering what works to cure diseases and identifying the most productive animals to breed from. The community also drew up a production manual in Pokot and Swahili, which sets out the guidelines for taking care of the animals and producing the yoghurt. The yoghurt is on sale in the nearby town of Makutano, offering the people in the group a regular income for the first time.

Impact

Sixty-five people from two villages joined together to form a producer group.

• Livestock are healthier and more productive.
• The revitalization of ash yoghurt production has become a source of pride for the villages.
• The producer group is planning to open a community workshop.