Is Herding Still Best for the Arid North?
kenya 4:17 AM
Mobile herding or pastoralism remains the most economically viable production system for the drylands of Kenya and should be encouraged, according to livestock experts.
Because of the current drought, there have been calls for local communities to shift to crop farming, but a recent study by the Nairobi-based International Livestock Research Institute (Ilri) says such plans should be used to strengthen pastoralism, but not to replace the system.
In a comprehensive review of the devastating 2008/2009 drought, commissioned by the European Delegation to Kenya, the Ilri researchers make suggestions on how to improve the current drought management systems.
The researchers say the biggest cause of the current crisis is lose of grazing land and the many barriers that hinder livestock movement.
"Interventions that facilitate and or maintain critical migratory movement and allow access to unused grazing areas will continue to serve as the most powerful way to mitigate livestock losses during a drought such as the current one."
This, the researchers say, is the most cost-effective intervention as it requires the least funds compared to others.
Prime activities
"Interventions targeting the removal of restrictions to mobility and access should be considered as prime activities during preparedness," they say.
However, they discount the commercial animal off-take programme, as the most uneconomical way of solving the crisis followed closely by distribution of fodder for feeding animals.
A successful commercial de-stocking intervention, herders in Marsabit told the researchers, is next to impossible if the district does not already have a functioning, fully fledged, dynamic livestock trade as an ongoing activity during "normal" times.
Another community, in Isiolo's Merti Location, is reported to have preferred having a viable livestock market to any government-funded livestock off-take programme and saw investments in pasture management as one way to solve the feed problems during drought.
These findings are strikingly similar to those contained in a government policy document on the development of the country's arid areas.
The government document also calls for policies that recognise mobile herding as a viable land use system in the arid areas.
Although local communities may appear ignorant to Nairobi bureaucrats, the study indicates the herding community to be well aware of corruption within interventional programmes.
"Communities found corruption and mismanagement to be bigger problems than ineffective interventions," the study published two weeks ago says in its summary.
The situation in the regions, the researchers say is further compounded by a fast increasing population that has limited access to any livestock at all and who are consequently extremely vulnerable to shocks.
Because of the current drought, there have been calls for local communities to shift to crop farming, but a recent study by the Nairobi-based International Livestock Research Institute (Ilri) says such plans should be used to strengthen pastoralism, but not to replace the system.
In a comprehensive review of the devastating 2008/2009 drought, commissioned by the European Delegation to Kenya, the Ilri researchers make suggestions on how to improve the current drought management systems.
The researchers say the biggest cause of the current crisis is lose of grazing land and the many barriers that hinder livestock movement.
"Interventions that facilitate and or maintain critical migratory movement and allow access to unused grazing areas will continue to serve as the most powerful way to mitigate livestock losses during a drought such as the current one."
This, the researchers say, is the most cost-effective intervention as it requires the least funds compared to others.
Prime activities
Prevalent drought in Mandera, in the northeast, has led to severe water shortage which has caused livestock deaths (file photo).
However, they discount the commercial animal off-take programme, as the most uneconomical way of solving the crisis followed closely by distribution of fodder for feeding animals.
A successful commercial de-stocking intervention, herders in Marsabit told the researchers, is next to impossible if the district does not already have a functioning, fully fledged, dynamic livestock trade as an ongoing activity during "normal" times.
Another community, in Isiolo's Merti Location, is reported to have preferred having a viable livestock market to any government-funded livestock off-take programme and saw investments in pasture management as one way to solve the feed problems during drought.
These findings are strikingly similar to those contained in a government policy document on the development of the country's arid areas.
The government document also calls for policies that recognise mobile herding as a viable land use system in the arid areas.
Although local communities may appear ignorant to Nairobi bureaucrats, the study indicates the herding community to be well aware of corruption within interventional programmes.
"Communities found corruption and mismanagement to be bigger problems than ineffective interventions," the study published two weeks ago says in its summary.
The situation in the regions, the researchers say is further compounded by a fast increasing population that has limited access to any livestock at all and who are consequently extremely vulnerable to shocks.
Posted by Unknown
on 4:17 AM.
Filed under
