The Taita Taveta government has signed an MoU with Netherlands to boost climate resilient strategies and support agro-pastoralist communities.
The MoU targets to enhance livelihoods of 10,000 agro-pastoralists and farmer communities.
This will be done through improved forage production and livestock husbandry, building on commercialisation of climate smart innovations and sustainable landscape management.
Agriculture executive Davis Mwangoma on Wednesday said the three-year project will contribute to food and nutrition security.
“The department targets to increase forage production that will translate to increase in milk and beef production,” Mwangoma said.
The executive spoke during the signing of the MoU with the Deputy ambassador of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Kenya Joris Van Bommel.
The deal, he said, will see parties involved register and establish a long-term plan that will foster crop value chain development.
“The purpose is to exploit the mandate of each party to transform the lives of agro-pastoralists communities through emerging and climate smart innovations in the county,” he added.
Bommel said they have also partnered with three other counties of Taita Taveta, Kajiado and Narok.
He said the project is among the mitigation measures put in place to fight effects of climate change.
"The effects of climate change caused by environmental degradation resulting in reduced rainfall, drying of rivers and frequent prolonged droughts. This has threatened fodder, pasture and feed supplies resulting in livestock malnutrition,” Bommel said.
The project will include adoption and up scaling appropriate grazing and livestock feeding innovations and improved capacity and coordination of sustainable landscape management.
Bommel said the SNV contributes in finding local solutions to global challenges and sowing the seed of lasting change.
He said the SNV’s goal is to catalyse sustainable development processes.
“SNV supports people to access and develop the capabilities, services and opportunities needed to live a healthy, productive and otherwise fulfilling life, while sustainably using the natural resources,” he added.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
