The Pastoralists Parliamentary Group has decried low funds allocated to livestock sector by both the national and county governments in their annual budgets.
PPG urged the two levels of government to set aside funds for harvesting and storage of fodder before drought strikes again.
The MPs said the country lost livestock worth more than Sh150 billion to the three year drought that also displaced hundreds of families.
They spoke in Naivasha during a three day consultative meeting between members of the caucus and senior government officials.
Kajiado Central MP Elijah Memusi said the national and county governments have for years ignored the livestock sector, which generated billions of shillings every year.
He said in the ended drought, pastoralists lost more than three million herds of cattle.
Memusi warned that there will be more losses if focus is not put in fodder production and harvesting.
“The national and county governments should plan on how the available fodder will be harvested and stored,” he said.
Memusi said many counties had set aside less than two per cent of their annual budget to livestock production.
Marakwet West MP Timothy Kipchumba decried the high number of pending bills in both parliament and the Senate touching on the livelihoods of pastoralists.
He said legislators from the parliamentary group had started the process of identifying the bills with a view of having them enacted into laws.
Some of the bills include, The National Drought Management Authority (amendment) Bill, 2019 and The Prevention Of Livestock And Produce Theft Bill, 2023.
“We have decided to be proactive and make sure that these bills, which are meant to empower the pastoralists communities are enacted into law,” he said.
Saku MP Dido Rasso said climate change is one of the major challenges facing the livestock sector.
He faulted the government for supporting and protecting farmers more than pastoralists through the issuance of subsidised farm inputs, loan waiver and provision of markets for their products.
“One day we are recording drought and the next month we are talking about floods that have killed hundreds of our livestock. It’s time we addressed these challenges,” Rasso said.
