Nakuru: For thousands of years, pastoralists in the Horn of Africa have fostered a rich culture centered around herding livestock across expansive arid landscapes. This traditional system, however, faces increasing disruption due to climate change impacts, which have led to significant challenges for these communities.
According to Kenya News Agency, experts from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia gathered at a regional workshop in Nakuru, emphasizing the need for government agencies, development partners, and private sector players to focus on initiatives that enhance the livelihoods of pastoralist communities. These efforts should be market-driven, climate-smart, and encompass sustainable landscape management. The event was organized by the African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) under the African Pastoral Markets Development (APMD).
During the workshop, Lydia Mworia, Vice President of the African Women in Animal Resources Farming and Agribusiness Network (AWARFA-N), highlighted the necessity of new strategies to conserve biodiversity in arid and semi-arid lands. She advocated for commercializing livestock to prevent losses, suggesting that pastoralists sell some animals during favorable conditions to avoid greater losses during droughts. Market-led fodder production and livestock feeding innovations were also proposed to scale productivity in these regions.
Agriculture contributes significantly to Kenya’s GDP, with livestock being a primary contributor in ASAL regions. Nevertheless, the sector faces challenges such as overgrazing, overstocking, land competition, declining soil fertility, and climate change. Mworia pointed out that these issues are exacerbated by a lack of coordinated efforts among stakeholders.
The Kenyan government has been commended for its policy frameworks aimed at improving pastoralists’ livelihoods. Mworia stressed the importance of encouraging communities to adopt certified forage seeds and commercial forage production. She also advocated for diversified livelihoods and modern water management techniques to address reliance on unpredictable rainfall.
Cultural norms and long-held practices continue to limit women’s participation in the livestock value chain in the Horn of Africa. Mworia called for reforms to recognize women’s roles and stewardship, suggesting affirmative action to allocate unused government land for women and youth in farming activities.
Professor Ahmed Elbeltagy, APMD Platform Policy Pillar Lead, emphasized the importance of feed security for pastoralism, livestock productivity, and regional stability. The workshop aimed to review progress on feed and rangeland policies, identify action opportunities, and strengthen private sector involvement. The outcomes will inform a unified regional feed and rangeland security roadmap and create an AU feed security coordination task force.
The workshop’s outcomes are expected to pave the way for tackling barriers faced by women in the sector, enabling them to access resources, benefit from policies, and participate fully in the livestock value chain.
