Sh230m set aside to buy livestock in drought-hit areas

The government has set side Sh230 million to buy livestock in drought stricken counties.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett said Wajir, Mandera and Marsabit counties, which are among the hardest hit, will be the first beneficiaries of the plan.

Because of the long distance from Nairobi, Mr Bett said, the government will buy the livestock and slaughter them within the counties for consumption by locals.

“We will buy livestock from you and slaughter them right here. This will help in our efforts to ensure that the locals do not suffer out of lack of food,” he said.

He spoke in Wajir Town on Wednesday.

He was accompanied by ministers Eugene Wamalwa (Water) and Mwangi Kiunjuri (Devolution) on a drought assessment tour.

BOOST FARMING

Mr Bett added that the government will empower the residents to venture into farming to boost food security.

Mr Wamalwa said the government has also set aside Sh500 million for the construction and repair of boreholes in Wajir, Garissa and Mandera counties.

The number of bowsers in the counties will also be increased in an effort to improve water supply since many dams have dried up.

“Water trucking will be up-scaled in all arid and semi-arid counties to ensure they are all water secure,” Mr Wamalwa said.

Mr Kiunjuri said that the government will double the amount of relief food to be distributed to affected people.

The ministers distributed 500 bags of rice, 110 bags of beans and 30 cartons of cooking oil.

The three also visited Takaba in Mandera where Governor Ali Roba said his government will provide an additional 14 water bowsers that will be distributed in all corners of the county.

“We will also provide fuel for free to run boreholes that pump water for human and livestock use,” Mr Roba said.