• The livestock sector employs about 50 per cent of the agricultural workforce and about 90 per cent of the workforce in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs).
• A lot of planning has been focused on urban areas
About 800 delegates are today expected at a three-day annual forum in Amboseli National Park to review the development in the 29 arid counties.
Projects to be assessed are those undertaken by the county and national governments and development partners.
Delegates are also expected to draft a framework for partnership coordination among the various players in arid and semi-arid regions and through exhibitors, to encourage private sector investments.
Cabinet Secretary for Devolution Eugene Wamalwa yesterday said that the choice of this venue calls attention to the huge economic potential of ASAL regions, contrary to the poster depictions of hunger-and-want or drought-and-destitution.
“The arid and semi-arid counties take up 89 per cent of Kenya’s geographical surface and account for 38 per cent of the population. Further, they hold great potential for cross-border trade with neighboring countries, in addition to abundant natural resources such as the barely tapped wind and solar energy,” he said.
Wamalwa also said delegates are looking forward to the presentation of a report on the implementation of the 10 resolutions, which were passed by 1800 participants at the inaugural conference in Kilifi, last year.
Notable among the Kilifi resolutions were that: mapping of water resources and formulation of ASALS water action plan be undertaken within a year, drought-tolerant food crops and livestock products from ASALS such as green grams and powdered eggs be incorporated into the strategic food reserve.
Also, there be timely disbursement of equalization fund to accelerate development and national and county governments partner in prioritising and implementing at least five major infrastructure development projects in each county, in line with the big four agenda.
Out of the 29 ASAL counties, eight are classified as ‘Arid’ and these are Turkana, Mandera, Marsabit, Tana River, Garissa, Isiolo, Samburu and Wajir.
The Principal Secretary for Development of ASALS Micah Powon has meanwhile reiterated that under the theme “consolidating ASALS development for posterity”, the Amboseli conference will boost the visibility of ASALS, which apart from suffering a prohibitive climate, had suffered from a history of marginalisation from some unfavorable government policies.
“A combination of Colonial and post-independence Economic policies denied the ASAL regions a fair share of resources and social infrastructure,” said Powon.
He said that through consistent humanitarian relief, climate Resilient projects and infrastructure upgrade, the government and development partners were working towards hauling ASALS out of endemic poverty, hunger, insecurity and underdevelopment.