New initiative to finance pastoralists to cope with climate risks

Some of the livestock belonging to pastoralists communities being hosted at Mugie Conservancy located Sossian area in Laikipia County. [Nanjinia Wamuswa, Standard]

Pastoralists across Kenya are poised to benefit from the rollout of a new initiative to cushion them against drought and other risks.

The De-Risking, Inclusion, and Value Enhancement of Pastoral Economies (DRIVE) project spearheaded by the State Department for Livestock Development in collaboration with 21 county governments and the World Bank also aims to tackle the challenges pastoralists face in accessing vital financial services.
The DRIVE project was officially inaugurated in July 2023 by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The initiative comes in response to the devastating impacts of drought, with over 2.5 million livestock lost in the most recent drought cycle in 2022.