Climate resilience project puts smiles on drought-stricken faces

Lentilalu, just like other Samburu county residents, covered hot sand under the sweltering sun. She navigated around cactus, tumbleweed, dust devils and crumbing rocks in search of the water of life.

Her unforgiving trek, however, is a thing of the past after Lemisigioi Weir Dam was built.

The dam is part of the Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Programme (DRSLP).

“Many people are benefiting as we no longer have to go far to look for water. It has saved us the struggle of long distances," Lentilalu said.

The project supplies more than 600 households and more than 1,000 people and their livestock.

Each household pays Sh100 a month to the management committee for unlimited access to water.

The DRSLP in the Horn of Africa is a regional programme covering  Kenya, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Southern Sudan and Uganda.

The programme was started after the heads of state and government 2011 summit in Nairobi to address drought and other disasters. It has three phases of five years each.

The first phase in Kenya covers six Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) counties — Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Isiolo, and Marsabit, benefiting 168,900 households.

The Sh5.4 billion programme is financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) through a loan and the Kenyan government. AfDB contributed 90 percent, the Kenyan government 10 percent. It is executed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.

The programme contributes to poverty reduction, food security and increases sustainable economic growth with higher rural incomes.

It focuses on resilience to drought. It includes natural resources management, better livestock infrastructure and management, project management and capacity building.

It started in July 2013 and was expected to close in June 2018 but was delayed until June this year. Delays were caused by, among other issues, the need to hand-hold farmers into the production phase in irrigation schemes.

The programme has reduced poverty, increased food security and improved nutrition.

“We need more of such projects to cushion the community from the impact of climate change,” dam chairman Suruan Leyagu said.

He was addressing Prof Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA).  His delegation is visiting Kenya to see the impact of climate change.

GCA is accelerating climate adaptation across Africa through an African-owned and Africa-led initiative. It is developed by the GCA and AfDB. It's called the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme (AAAP).

AAAP is mobilising $25 billion for climate adaptation investments in Africa over five years.

This week, adaptation measures were showcased, those to be replicated were identified, as were gaps to be filled.

On Thursday, President Uhuru Kenyatta was recognised as the Global Champion for the AAAP.

“We need to know what has worked and what needs to be scaled up. This story will be shared across the world,” Verkooijen said.

Dam chairman Leyagu told Verkooijen the water needs to be scaled up.

“We also need an electric fence because elephants are becoming notorious in bring down our fence and exposing our resource to all sorts of wildlife,” he said.

Leyagu said people have been migrating to other areas due to drought, causing conflict over water and pasture as 80 percent of the population keeps livestock.

In a single long rain, the dam gets filled and serves the community for months.

Waterborne diseases have decreased,  the community no longer treks long distances.

Three dams have been constructed and 22 boreholes drilled.

Five livestock sale yards have also been developed, Leyagu said, reducing the need to move livestock for water.

The programme has also delivered four cattle dips, two pasture farms each of 125 acres, three hay shades, a Sh3.6 million laboratory worth, nine motorcycles for extension services and three vehicles.

At Lekuru livestock yard, the community said before the market was established, they had been travelling more than 20km to get livestock to market in Sukuta Marmar.

At the market, revenue clerks and crew are employed by the county.

Every Saturday, a market day attracts livestock buyers and sellers from as far as Isiolo, Narok and Kajiado. This has increased county revenue.

For every cow that is sold, the county gets Sh100 and the county gets Sh100. A percentage goes to the community.

Village administrator Robin Letunta said the livestock market has improved the economy and food security. He said it should be expanded so it can handle more sheep and goats.

Cattle selling prices in Samburu are still very low due to drought. they have lost weight from shortage of forage and travelling long distances.

Rains have failed for the last three seasons.

The current average selling price is Sh13,500, compared to last month's Sh13,130.

Most cattle are outside the county in search of better forage and water, so most internal markets had low volumes.

The price for goats remained low and below average due to weight loss and poor body condition. 

The current average price for a goat is Sh2,690, compared to last month's Sh2,710.

Illaut market recorded the lowest price per goat at Sh2,000, while Nairimirimo market reported the highest average at Sh4,300.

Sheep prices too remained below average and stable.

At the Nchorerai pasture, the community said the project has cushioned them from prolonged drought.

Chairman of the hay project Lokoronye Lengertet said people initially thought the government was after their land.

The second Sh4.2 billion phase of the project is to start in October. It's called Building Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security.

The project will scale up early warning, food security, nutrition and agribusiness for agro-pastoralists.

It will cover  Baringo, Isiolo, Wajir, Garissa and Marsabit counties.

The resilience delegation included AfDB regional head for  climate change East Africa Dr Olufunso Somorin; DRSLP national project coordinator Kennedy Makudiuh; DRSLP livestock specialist Okati Juma; Samburu Agriculture acting chief officer Tyson Lemako and National Drought Management Authority assistant director Mahat Abdi.

(Edited by V. Graham)

“WATCH: The latest videos from the Star”