Kenya launches 197 mln USD project to boost livestock output

Kenya has launched a 197 million-U.S. dollar project to support livestock farmers.

The Regional Pastoral Livelihoods Resilience Project (RPLRP) - jointly funded by the government and the World Bank - focuses on the vaccination of animals to reduce the spread of diseases, the provision of water, and the identification of livestock to curb rustling.

"Our main focus is on livestock which is the single most important asset and the key source of food and income for pastoralists," Diarietou Gaye, World Bank Country Director for Kenya said in a statement issued in Nairobi on Monday.

"Pastoralists face unique challenges because they also live in the most under-resourced areas in Kenya, and this project will help mitigate some of them," she added.

More than 93,000 households whose livelihoods rely mainly on pastoral activities in the 14 participating counties are expected to benefit directly from the project.

The project is also designed to help the beneficiaries manage climate risks, develop coping mechanisms against drought and animal diseases that are frequently the bane of African pastoralists.

"The focus on livestock corridors like in Laikipia (northwest Kenya) is based on the reality that seasonal and cross-border movements are a crucial feature of pastoralist livelihoods and coping mechanisms against droughts and conflicts," Philip Jespersen, Senior Social Development Specialist and Co-Task Team Leader for the project.

"The ecosystems from which pastoralist derive their livelihoods often go beyond national borders and counties as do the market networks," he said.

A vaccination campaign saw over 15,000 heads of cattle, 10,000 sheep and goats vaccinated during the launch which took place at Muwarak/Posta (PND) in Laikipia County.

Major livestock routes converge in the PND area where livestock search for pasture and water in times of drought. As a result, it is an area that is prone to livestock disease outbreaks. Endit