We can only mitigate effects of drought

Drought is a weather phenomenon that cannot be wished away, it is here with us and will still come back in future. The 2009/2010 drought left an estimated Sh630.9 billion damage to the livestock sector.

Kenya is particularly prone to drought because only 20 per cent of the country receives adequate and regular rainfall, a challenge worsened by farmers' dependence on rain-fed agriculture.

The only thing that we can do when faced with drought is to prepare well in advance by putting in place measures to lessen its adverse effects. Inasmuch as the Government has a leading role to play in this, everyone's your individual effort is also critical.

Last year the Meteorological Department warned us of insufficient short rains; a projection that has come to pass. Most parts of the country received inadequate and poorly distributed rainfall last year that consequently affected crop production and vegetation cover.

When crops fail, this heralds the beginning of drought-induced food deficit with the next buffer being livestock. Unfortunately, in such conditions even livestock productivity is at its lowest.

Most of our livestock production systems rely on natural pastures supported by rainfall. In the Arid and Semi Arid lands (ASALs), which constitute 80 per cent of Kenya and where most of our livestock is to be found, pastoralism is the main livestock production system that is also fully dependent on rainfall patterns.

During these lean times, animals’ immune system is compromised due to inadequate feeds, leaving them susceptible to opportunistic diseases. Inadequate feeds force the animals to graze very close to the ground, further exposing them to anthrax and botulism.

Other diseases common during dry spells include foot-and-mouth disease. Conflicts among communities, human and wildlife are bound to escalate as livestock are moved from one area to another in search of pasture and water.

Every drought incident has come with its lessons and these have been documented. Today drought management is not a preserve of the Government. It has seen the development of other regional institutions like Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which now has a Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC), development partners and even national authorities to tackle drought. On our part as a sector we have also documented a lot on the subject and developed short and long-term drought management strategies.

The Government has dedicated time and resources towards drought management, because it affects all sectors of our economy. In Vision 2030, drought is among the emergencies foreseen by the Government and towards which relevant authorities are supposed to put in place elaborate measures to lessen the effects thereof.

In the same breath, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries has set up several model farms to showcase pasture conservation techniques like hay and silage making. These centres are strategically located in the ASALs to appeal to the pastoralists as an adaptive measure. The Government has also initiated livestock off-take so as to enable farmers reduce their stock in exchange of money which can be kept and used to restock at the end of the drought period.

In addition, the Government is supporting strategic mass vaccination and treatment of livestock throughout the country as one of the measures to further lessen the effects of drought on our livestock farmers.

It has not been easy convincing pastoralists to let go off their treasured livestock when the early warning sign is out. Many will want to hold on with hope that rains will come in the near future to rescue their stock only to be caught up when drought advances.

Change is a slow process that calls for a lot of patience and concerted efforts, but we remain optimistic that one day all will be working with us before, during and after drought to lessen its effects on humanity.