Pastoralists in Turkana county will receive animal food supplements donated by the Agency for Pastoral Development and the county government.
APAD director Samuel Kimeli said more than 3,000 families in Loima and Turkana West constituencies will benefit from animal food supplements to cushion them from drought that affected their livestock and livelihoods. APAD works especially with border communities.
Kimeli said the residents of Namoruputh, Loima subounty each received a 50kg bag of pellets as they awaited hay for their animals.
“We will work closely with Turkana county to build the resilience of communities through animal feeds distribution,” Kimeli said.
Chief officer for the pastoral economy Abdillahi Yusuf said they will partner with NGOs in animal feed distribution.
Loima MCA Jackson Lowoi urged partner organisations to always plan early for drought intervention and not wait until animals begin to die due to drought.
Resident Peter Lowoi of Lochor Edome in Loima subcounty expressed thanks for the animal feed to prevent starvation.
“We experienced drought when all our water sources had dried up. We lost some animals. It's a sign of hope that we received rain and vegetation is sprouting. We thank the county and partners to improve the strength of our animals," he said.
The county department of livestock said 4,193,462 goats and sheep were at risk of starvation.
Agriculture and pastoral economy executive Philip Aemun said the drought had forced herders to migrate to new areas in search of water and pasture, making them vulnerable to diseases, hunger and insecurity.
The regions hard hit by drought include Lakezone, Kaeris, Kaaleng/Kaikor and Lapur wards in Turkana North, as well as Kerio, Kalokol and Kangathota areas in Turkana Central.
Others are are Loima and Lopur wards in Loima and Turkana West constituencies respectively.
(Edited by V. Graham)
