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I noticed that inhabitants of Niamey ate a lot of grilled goat or sheep meat. A friend invited me to one of these joints where I savoured African-style barbecued goat. Since I was in Niamey to cover the food crisis which also involved a deficit of 16 milli
I noticed that inhabitants of Niamey ate a lot of grilled goat or sheep meat. A friend invited me to one of these joints where I savoured African-style barbecued goat.
Since I was in Niamey to cover the food crisis which also involved a deficit of 16 million tonnes of fodder for livestock, I couldn't help asking what these particular goats had been eating to be so fleshy and juicy. Most animals I had seen at a local livestock market in Niamey were lean.
As we drove back to the hotel, I stumbled on this scene of goats rummaging through trash heaps and selecting the "sweetest" bits of paper and paper bags.
It wasn't the first time I saw this. It also occurs in the Sahelian parts of northern Cameroon where I come from. It seems it is an adaptation mechanism by these ruminants as their habitat changes with recurrent droughts that take away the grass they normally consume.
What I am not sure about is how nutritious this paper is and what effect swallowing plastic paper bags could have for a goat or sheep.
I however enjoyed the barbecue!
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