Kenya: Pastoralists urged to diversify income sources to beat aridity

Published 2023년 6월 11일

Tridge summary

The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) has urged pastoral communities in northern Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALS), which were severely hit by drought, to diversify their income sources and commercialise livestock rearing for economic benefit. The authority's Assistant Drought Information Officer in Samburu, Losenge Koolik, suggested selling mature livestock for financial stability and to fund potential disaster recovery efforts. The NDMA is also planning to restock goats in drought-affected areas. The call for diversification was made during the first Samburu county knowledge fair, which aimed to boost learning and collaboration among stakeholders to enhance resilience to climate-related shocks. The fair was sponsored by the United States Agency of International Development (USAID) and focused on strengthening community learning to improve adaptive capacity to crises.

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Original content

Nakuru — Pastoral communities have been urged to embrace diversification of income sources as opposed to sole dependance on livestock keeping. The renewed call is part of a campaign to improve livelihoods and enhance economic activities in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALS) in the country's north that solely practice pastoralism. The communities were discouraged from taking livestock keeping for prestige and culture and instead commercialise it for economic gain. National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) Assistant Drought Information Officer in charge of Samburu, Losenge Koolik said selling livestock does not only enable communities to cater for household needs but is also a cautionary measure in case of disasters. "Let the people learn to sell off livestock once they are mature and well fattened as they can fetch good prices in the market," said Koolik. His sentiments come at a time when ASALs areas are recovering from drought which is said to have been worst in the last 40 ...

Source: All Africa