Editor's Review
The government has secured additional funding to boost drought resilience and water security in Northern Kenya, with Turkana and Marsabit counties set to benefit.
The government has secured additional funding to boost drought resilience and water security in Northern Kenya, with Turkana and Marsabit counties set to benefit from a €9 million (Ksh1.34 billion) financing agreement.
In a statement on Thursday, September 17, the State Department for Irrigation said the funding will support the Drought Resilience Programme in Northern Kenya (DPRNK), with investments targeting water security, agriculture, livestock production, food security and the ability of communities to withstand prolonged dry conditions.
The agreement was signed by Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho, representatives of KfW Kenya, and the Governors of Turkana and Marsabit counties.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Kimotho said the programme was helping unlock the economic potential of the two counties by improving drought preparedness and access to critical water resources.
"The Government, through the State Department for Irrigation, development partners and other stakeholders, is committed to strengthening drought preparedness, water security and community resilience across the country," he said.
Among the projects highlighted during the ceremony were the Dambala Fachana water pans in Marsabit, which are about 75 per cent complete.
Kimotho also pointed to several projects being implemented in Turkana, saying the investments were designed to increase water availability for agricultural activities, livestock feedlots and domestic consumption.
The additional financing is projected to reach more than 340,000 residents in Turkana and over 255,000 people in Marsabit.
A significant portion of the investment will support agricultural activities and livestock feedlots across the two arid and semi-arid counties.
This comes days after the Ministry of Agriculture unveiled a Ksh2.1 billion National Livestock Sector El Niño Preparedness and Anticipatory Action Plan aimed at protecting livestock farmers and pastoral communities from the projected adverse effects of the forecast El Niño weather event.
The plan was launched on Thursday, September 10, by Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe following weather advisories warning of an increased likelihood of enhanced rainfall and flooding in several parts of the country.
"This follows advisories from the Kenya Meteorological Department indicating an increased likelihood of enhanced rainfall, flooding, flash floods, and localised inundation across several counties," the ministry said.
Kagwe said the government was prioritising early interventions instead of waiting to respond after disasters had occurred, with the plan targeting counties considered vulnerable to flooding and those with high livestock populations.
He said previous extreme weather events had demonstrated the need for the Government to prepare farmers and pastoralists in advance.
"The 2023 El Niño and the 2024 long rains floods caused devastating losses to our livestock farmers, destroyed critical infrastructure and triggered disease outbreaks that set back the sector significantly.
"We therefore need to learn from our experiences and this is the reason we are determined to ensure that, our farmers and pastoralists are not caught unprepared," he said.
According to the ministry, the plan is anchored on six priority intervention areas, with Ksh100 million allocated to early warning systems, climate risk mapping, emergency communication networks and inter-agency coordination.
The largest allocation, Ksh1.5 billion, will be used to procure and pre-position vaccines, veterinary medicines, laboratory reagents, personal protective equipment, mobile veterinary clinics and emergency response kits across the targeted counties.
The government said the investment would help contain diseases that could spread during prolonged flooding and other extreme weather conditions.
"This is designed to prevent and rapidly respond to climate-sensitive diseases, including Rift Valley Fever, and the increased vector burden that typically accompanies prolonged flooding," the ministry added.
Another Ksh250 million will be allocated to protecting critical livestock infrastructure, including cattle dips, livestock markets, slaughterhouses, milk cooling facilities, veterinary laboratories and feed stores.
The plan also provides Ksh100 million for livestock evacuation, welfare and logistics operations, while Ksh50 million will be used to establish strategic feed and fodder reserves, rehabilitate water points and support emergency water supply arrangements.
A further Ksh100 million will fund farmer awareness campaigns, promotion of biosecurity measures, livestock insurance sensitisation, commercial offtake operations and contingency planning.
