World Bank gives Sh6.5bn for herders in arid regions

The World Bank has given Kenya a Sh6.5 billion grant to cushion livestock farmers against losses occurred during dry spells.

Agriculture and Livestock Principal Secretary Fred Segor said that the money will go towards the implementation of regional Pastoral Livelihoods Resilience Project (RPLRP) aimed at ending drought, emergency and livestock diseases.

“The project will be implemented in five years and will cover 14 counties in arid and semi-arid areas (ASAL). We want to manage and control livestock diseases,” said Prof Segor when he toured areas ravaged by drought in Baringo.

Part of the money will be used to buy affected livestock while the rest will go towards improving pasture and establishing hay stores in arid and semi-arid areas.

EFFECTS OF DROUGHT

Baringo, Turkana, West Pokot, Lamu, Wajir, Kajiado, Samburu and Narok are some of the counties to benefit from the programme.

He said the government has put in place measures to combat effects of the drought.

These includes building pan dams and boreholes in conjunction with county governments.

“We call on county governments to put in place livestock disease prevention programmes. The devolved units should have continuous vaccination programmes not carrying them only during outbreaks of diseases,” said Prof Segor.

He also called on pastoralists living in arid areas not to wait until their animals start dying before selling them. They should be disposed earlier.

“Time has come for our pastoralists to be pro-active and store hay to feed their livestock during the dry season and dispose weak animals to avoid incurring losses  during the dry season,” said Prof Segor.

More than 1.6 million people in arid and semi-arid parts of Kenya are grappling with an acute food shortage due to erratic rainfall patterns last season.

According to Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru, the affected people require urgent food aid over the next six months to avert hunger-related deaths. She cited Mandera,Garissa,Isiolo,Wajir and parts of Tana River as the most needy counties where the government intends to stock depots with maize during this period.

In the North Rift alone, an estimated 400,000 people are in dire need of relief food supplies and other assistance as drought continues to bite.

Prices of maize in the North Rift have sky-rocketed in the last two months due to deteriorating supply, pushing it beyond the reach of many poor households.

A bag of maize is going for Sh3,400 up from Sh2,800 while that of wheat is selling at Sh3,600 up from Sh3,200.

Most farmers have stored their produce due to the shortage.
Ms Waiguru said the government is to spend Sh3 billion on measures to mitigate the effects of drought. More than Sh279 million from the drought contingency fund will also be distributed to 16 counties faced with food shortage.

The dry spell is fuelling conflict due to scramble for dwindling resources among pastoralists in West Pokot, Turkana, Baringo and Samburu counties.

The situation has adversely affected the livestock sector which is the main economic mainstay of pastoralists in the region.

Prices of cattle and goats have dropped drastically in arid areas as pastoralists frantically sell their animals due to lack of pasture.

SCHOOLS CLOSED

The worst hit are livestock markets in Tiaty and Baringo North sub-counties where a cow which used to sell at Sh30,000 in early October is retailing at Sh10,000 while a goat which used to sell at between Sh4,000 and Sh5,000 can be bought at a mere Sh2,000.

The situation has adversely affected learning in some areas.

For instance, more than 10 schools in Tiaty Sub-County have closed after parents moved with their children to the neighbouring Samburu, Turkana and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties looking for pasture and water for their livestock.