Livestock Sector Strengthening
FCDC SECTOR FORUMS
Strengthening the Livestock Sector in Kenya’s ASAL Counties
(Funding Gap: KES 150 million/3 years)
The Livestock Sector Strengthening (LSS) project supports FCDC Counties to enhance livestock production by creating a favorable environment for the delivery of livestock services. This includes: measures to modernize the sector, policy and advocacy work, knowledge management and information. The project is contributing to enhanced pastoralist community resilience that will result in improved livestock based livelihoods and sustainable socio-economic development. Main emphasis is on improving key factors such as herd management, animal health, fodder production and market development and on strengthening institutions involved in the livestock sector to deliver relevant services more effectively and by enhancing inter-county coordination, peace and cohesion.
The LSS project targets Kenya’s northern and lowland frontier counties of Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Turkana, Isiolo, Tana River, West Pokot, Lamu and Samburu which account for 61% of Kenya’s landmass and a population of 5.9 million people. The region, borders Somalia to the East, Ethiopia to the North, South Sudan to the North West and Uganda to the West, has a strong trans-boundary movement of animals and trade leading to the spread of diseases. The region has historically not benefited from main stream development by the national government due to state policies that privilege the development of fertile highlands, while focusing on security and neglecting the well-being of lowland counties’ inhabitants. With the enactment of Kenya’s new constitution in 2010 significant powers were devolved to the counties and the local government’s financial and political clout has dramatically increased.
A systemic analysis of the livestock sector in the FCDC region has shown that the livestock sector is poised to grow but continues to face a number of challenges and constraints. Currently, the production system is characterized by low input, with unviable stocking rates and limited forage resources. Data indicates that the actual carrying capacity of the pastures in the region has been surpassed and fodder production is at an emergence stage. Other underlying causes of production inefficiencies include poor animal health, inefficient marketing, inadequate infrastructure, low levels of education, poor entrepreneurial and technical skills of producers, and weak institutional support.
As for the commercialization of livestock products the main market challenge is its inefficiencies, resulting in an irregular supply of adequate quantity and quality animals to markets.
This project offers a planned coordinated engagement that presents an excellent opportunity to link a county specific agenda with the regional development interest and a national level political lobbying and policy formulation to enhance livestock productivity and reduce conflicts.
LSS Objectives
In view of enhancing resilience and sustainable livelihood options for pastoralist communities in Northern Kenya the project contributes towards improved livestock production, livestock based livelihoods and sustainable socio-economic development and it promotes peace and cohesion.
The LSS project pursues the following objectives:
- Improved pastoralist communities’ access to knowledge in livestock production: County departments introduce knowledge, information and new technologies to increase livestock productivity. The project facilitates and supports interventions that enhance sustainable livestock production systems and natural resource management, taking into consideration climate variability and change. SFAL will provide knowledge and information on new and innovative methods of production and marketing that ensure the highest level of resource conservation and utilization efficiency. Counties are brought together and supported in modernizing the livestock sector and in removing the main hindrances that slow down livestock production. Hindrances include the lack of a disease control framework, uncoordinated pasture and rangelands management, weak drought preparedness and underdeveloped livestock markets.
2. Enhanced advocacy and policy implementation: County departments, FCDC/SFAL and PPG jointly do advocacy work and implement policies. Coherent institutional frameworks with the relevant livestock policies and regulations are developed and put in place and systems to strengthen natural resource management and Peace & Cohesion are encouraged and supported. County livestock policies, strategies and plans are harmonized and PPG and SFAL are supported in advocating for the inclusion of the pastoralist agenda at national and county level and in promoting an improved agriculture and livestock agenda.
3. Enhanced capacities of local authorities and institutions: County departments, FCDC/SFAL and PPG have the capacity to contribute to a strong and vibrant livestock sector. Livestock productivity in the ASALs will only increase if counties succeed in transforming key institutions in agriculture and livestock to promote household and private sector agricultural growth. The project helps in consolidating the FCDC and SFAL organizational structures, and in further developing the administrative, HR, financial and procurement procedures and systems. Systems will be put in place to collect, produce and share information for knowledge management and advocacy. Most importantly, the project provides support for the strengthening of County departments of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (DALF) that are the main public institutions serving the sector at county level.
LSS Implementation and collaboration
The LSS project intervenes at national, regional and county level. The role of SFAL and PPG is to be neutral facilitators that navigate interests of counties and stakeholders and build a coalition that can advance sector priorities and objectives. The project is entirely implemented by national, regional and county structures, using a collaborative mechanism that emphasizes on encouraging national structures to be actively engaged and involved in the project, to properly manage resources and to put performance systems in place that have a direct impact on results in the field.
At national level, the project works with the Pastoralist Parliamentary Group (PPG), a Kenyan Parliamentary lobby group that provides leadership and guidance in the development and implementation of policies and legislation affecting pastoralist counties. The membership of PPG is open to all pastoralist Members of the national assembly and the senate. The group lobbies for policy issues affecting pastoralists’ communities. It concentrates on the legislation and policy formulation touching on pastoralist communities to create a favorable environment for the delivery of livestock sector services. The project supports PPG in the running of the PPG Secretariat, the production of policy documents and the organization of the annual Pastoralist Leadership Summit that brings together political leaders from Kenya.
At regional level, the project works closely with FCDC and supports the Sector Forum for Agriculture and Livestock (SFAL), which is an instrument under the FCDC to enhance cooperation, coordination and information flow between counties on issues related to agriculture and livestock. County Executive Members (CECs) of the eight FCDC Counties form the General Assembly of the Forum and meet regularly to deliberate on issues and topics related to enhancing agriculture and livestock productivity in the FCDC region. The SFAL secretariat is located within the FCDC Secretariat and implements requests and decisions taken by the SFAL. FCDC is also supported in addressing inter-county peace and cohesion challenges.an Parliamentary lobby group that provides leadership and guidance in the development and implementation of policies and legislation affecting pastoralist counties. The membership of PPG is open to all pastoralist Members of the national assembly and the senate. The group lobbies for policy issues affecting pastoralists’ communities. It concentrates on the legislation and policy formulation touching on pastoralist communities to create a favorable environment for the delivery of livestock sector services. The project supports PPG in the running of the PPG Secretariat, the production of policy documents and the organization of the annual Pastoralist Leadership Summit that brings together political leaders from Kenya.
At County level the project further tests and implements newly developed legislation and issues prioritized by the SFAL. The project provides support for the institutional strengthening of County departments for Agriculture and Livestock (DALF) and to improve livestock sector functions such as animal health and disease control, rangelands management and fodder production and other key functions prioritized by the SFAL and the Counties.
Project duration: 2018 – 2021
Project budget: KES 375 million
Funding
Embassy of Switzerland in Kenya: KES 162 million
FCDC member counties: KES 63 million
Current funding gap: KES 150 million