The country is experiencing severe drought resulting from the la-Nina weather phenomena which led to reduced short rains from the October 2010 - Dec 2010 rains season. The Ministry of Livestock Development has been allocated Kshs 1.127 Billion by the Treasury for emergency interventions to mitigate the effects of the drought. The interventions to be implemented are emergency livestock off-take, provision of emergency Livestock Feeds, and livestock disease control. The interventions are complementary efforts being undertaken by other Ministries and Agencies.
The most affected counties by the current drought include; Garissa, Marsabit, Isiolo, Tana River, Tharaka, Wajir, Mandera, W/Pokot, Samburu, Baringo, Kajiado, Makueni, Kwale, Kilifi and Turkana. Deaths of livestock have been reported in several counties such as Marsabit, Turkana, and parts of Pokot by January 2011.
Massive migration of livestock in search of pastures and water has been reported in various districts. Livestock deaths mainly as a result of lack of water in dry grazing areas have also been reported. The situation is compounded by disease outbreaks of Foot Mouth Disease and other infectious diseases which are necessitating restrictions in official livestock movements and market activities (quarantines). Food access to pastoralists has been affected due reduced income from sale of livestock. The livestock at risk are estimated at 1.6 million cattle, 2.8 million goats, 1.6 million sheep and 400,000 camels.
The ministry has identified Kenya Meat Commission (KMC), Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC), and the district livestock officers through the District Steering Groups (DSGs) to implement the emergency livestock off take. AFC was selected based on its capacity to handle farmers’ funds and also the good management experience it has had with the past livestock off-take funds.
To undertake this activity a total of Ksh 819 million will be allocated. KMC will be allocated ksh 192 million of which Ksh 92 million shall be a grant and ksh 100 million a government soft loan to the institution. AFC will be allocated a total of Ksh 427 Million for livestock off take through loans to livestock traders and ranchers. The DSGs will use Ksh 200 Million for livestock off - take. It is expected that at least 48,400 heads of cattle will be purchased through the DSGs, AFC and KMC.
The drought occasions massive livestock movement from the drought affected areas to areas perceived to be relatively better. This poses a great risk of livestock disease outbreak. In addition, livestock moving from lowland areas into highland areas get exposed to heavy parasite challenges, pneumonia and tick-borne diseases. A total of KShs 101.55 Million will be used for disease control activities.
As part of the mitigation measures my ministry through the Department of Veterinary Services has so far conducted vaccination of 2,224,000 heads of livestock against various diseases. Disease surveillance and sensitization of pastoralist to off-take before the livestock body condition deteriorates further are on-going.
In funding drought mitigation sh.485 million have been reallocated for interventions in livestock health, livestock feeds and Livestock off-take.
The most common livestock diseases reported include sheep and goat pox, CCPP, CBPP PPR, Mange, Camel pox Trypanosomoses, anthrax and FMD. Due to weakened animal immunity as a result of long distance trekking of the livestock, helminthosis has affected most livestock. Several counties imposed quarantine as away to control the various disease outbreaks and this affected trade in livestock.
i). 1.2 million animals have been vaccinated since October 2010 to contain disease outbreaks occasioned by increased livestock movements. The vaccinations are continuing in all parts of the country. Meanwhile more vaccines are being acquired.
ii Disease surveillance has been undertaken for various diseases in various counties. Surveillance was conducted for PPR, CBPP, and Foot and mouth diseases.
iii). PATTEC a programme in my ministry has embarked on activities in the control of Tse tse flies in a bid to open up more grazing areas for livestock to feed by reducing the threat of trypanosomiasis infection which is a killer disease.
As a drought coping strategy animals are moved to areas relatively better in pasture and water, a portion of livestock is usually left behind with the sedentary family members. Relief hay and other feed supplements will be distributed to maintain the breeding herds that remain with the pastoralists. The distribution will be based on the severity of the drought in various districts and the livestock population affected to achieve equity. A total of KShs 130 Million will be used for this intervention.
The ministry is in the process of acquiring supplementary feeds for animals left behind to feed family members left behind during migration of families with their livestock occasioned by the drought. 66 Districts will benefit from this intervention
Field stations are to be facilitated immediately to monitor and supervise procurement of livestock, distribution of feeds, drugs and vaccines and monitoring the progression of the drought and the mitigation situation. Ministry officials from the office of the Directors of Livestock production, Director of Veterinary Services, the Provincial Directors and my office will be facilitated to make regular monitoring of the progress and the implementation situation at the districts. All these activities must be coordinated at the District level by the District Steering Groups (DSGs) to ensure the interventions are well targeted and the available resources properly accounted for to benefit of the needy.
The ministry plans to off-take livestock from 66 worst affected districts which will be used by the District steering groups (DSG) as livestock food relief.
Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) has bought 2,225 animals and processed corn-beef since the drought started. Orders for 400 cattle have been given to traders in Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera. More orders will be processed for traders from various districts.
KMC is using traders to purchase the livestock from farmers so that the market prices will not be destabilized. It has been reported that the Garissa market did not have any livestock presented as the pastoralists complained of lack of water for animals when being transported (trekked) to the market. There are fears that the animals will die enroute to the market. KMC has been allocated 100 million soft loan cash from treasury to support this activity.
AFC is processing loans for 75 ranchers to the tune of 150million. A further 300 million is awaited from the Treasury through the Ministry of Livestock Development to enhance processing of loans to Ranchers and traders to finance Livestock off take activities in twenty two (22) Counties comprised of Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, West Pokot, Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Samburu,, Kajiado, Tana River, Tharaka Nithi, Kwale, Kilifi, Narok, Machakos, Taita Taveta, Laikipia, Mwingi, Kitui, Makueni, Turkana.
Source: Ministry of Livestock Development
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