In 2022, pastoral communities in Marsabit County lost 70 per cent of their livestock due to the devastating drought that ravaged the country.
Hundreds of people suffered hunger at the time. Today, things are not different.
Three people have died in Marsabit due to the ongoing floods caused by El Nino.
Roads have been cut off, and there are no signs that the woes facing the pastoral communities in arid and semi-arid areas will end soon.
“A chance like this (CoP28) gives an opportunity to tell the world how pastoralists are affected so they can get help,” Marsabit governor Mohamud Ali said.
He spoke during a side event at the ongoing climate talks in Dubai, UAE.
Ali said pastoral communities in the frontier counties are on their own.
He said the government has failed to give livestock the attention they deserves.
“Up to now, the central government has given a lot of attention to other crops such as maize, pyrethrum, coffee and not livestock. This is despite the potential it offers. We want to tell the world our challenges for the government to take pastoralism seriously,” Ali said.
He said he had to travel to Dubai and speak on behalf of the suffering pastoral communities.
“This is the best global opportunity for Marsabit to talk about issues affecting pastoralists. We are very eager and CoP28 is strategic,” Ali said.
He said they hope to get better solutions and opportunities for training on how to practice better animal husbandry from COP28.
At least 2,494 livestock and 382 poultry have been killed by the extreme weather in Isiolo, Kilifi, Mandera, Marsabit, Taita Taveta, Tana River, Homa Bay, and Lamu counties.
Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura on Tuesday said 160 Kenyans have died and 529,120 people have been displaced by ongoing floods.
The governor said there is relief as the rains have receded in the past three days.
He said Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale had promised to provide a KDF chopper to help with food distribution to the needy.
Ali said there is need for the state to invest more in the sector, which he says has a lot of potential.
At least 90 per cent of the Marsabit residents are pastoralists.
Ali said out of the over 120 million livestock keepers across the globe, 50 per cent come from Africa.
“Despite the potential, they have not been given adequate attention therefore, they do not have strong markets. Value addition is something we need to talk about,” Ali said.
He urged the state to put more resources in the sector saying there is need for behaviour change in the community.
“Because of climate change, we need to invest in civic education so that our people can be able to appreciate the kind of breed they need to keep, the improvements that need to be made, the strategic markets that are available and the value addition and value chain that need to be enhanced.”
Experts have called for the expansion of early warning systems to protect lives and livelihoods.
Power Shift Africa Senior Policy advisor Amy Thorp said early warning systems is the difference between life and death for African communities in the frontline of the climate crisis.
“In a continent where the majority of farmers practice rain-fed agriculture and fishing depends on the weather, early warnings are the difference between a productive crop season or a bountiful catch and one of losses," she said.
"Governments and other development partners must, therefore, invest in the 100 per cent roll-out of early warning systems as part of their national adaptation plans by 2027."
Thorp said there is need for developed countries to agree to stronger commitments and targets on the Global Goal on Adaptation, to reduce impacts and risks in key thematic sectors such as food and agriculture.
“By providing early warning system solutions and other support to communities in Africa, lives will be protected from hazards such as storms and heat waves, livelihoods will be salvaged, and abundant crop seasons will be assured," she said.
"In turn, this will promote sustainable food security, production, and nutrition while conserving, protecting, and restoring nature.”