Pastoralists root for special fund to prepare against drought

Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku and Garissa Governor Ali Korane, arrive at the Maasai technical Institute, in Kajiado town to open the Kenya Pastoralist week on 10th April 2018.PETERSON GITHAIGA

Pastoralists have asked county governments to set up a fund to mitigate the effects of disasters.

They want county assemblies to craft the Climate Change Adaptation Bill that will create a special fund to promote strategies, products and services that enhance resilience during drought.

Speaking during the launch of the Kenya Pastoralists Week at the Masai Technical Training Institute, they said the strategies would increase production of livestock feed.

COUNTY GOVERNMENT

The event was organised by the county government and a consortium of non-government organisations dealing with pastoralist issues, led by the Centre of Minority Rights Development.

"Climate change is not going away any time soon. We must change and adapt to it by devising climate-smart pastoralist practices," said Governor Joseph ole Lenku.

Mr Lenku said Kajiado County alone lost 232,400 animals worth Sh13 billion during the recent drought.

"We can no longer continue with a nomadic pastoral lifestyle. We can still rely on livestock in a more profitable manner if we adopt modern ways," he said.