Agriculture and Livestock Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett during an event at Bangale trading centre. [Photo/nation.co.ke]
Herders in arid and semi-arid regions have been urged to ensure their livestock so as to cushion them against any adversity that may befall them.Agriculture and Livestock Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett said thousands of children and families have been left vulnerable by the drought that hit most parts of the semi-arid regions, adding that the government has set aside funds to address the drought.Bett said the measures put in place are to ensure that the suffering brought about by the current situation is minimised, adding that livestock in the region have undergone a lot of strain due to lack of water and pasture.Speaking at Bangale trading centre in Bura Constituency, Tana River County, the CS said the government will supply water to the most affected areas, as hundreds of families are in need of water and relief food.“We have come up with programmes to cushion pastoralists during prolonged dry spells. We shall be more prepared to tackle drought in the future,” said Bett.“We will increase water trucking, off-take programmes and increase the livestock insurance fund to cushion pastoralists,” he added.The CS said the government spent over Sh1.4 billion in off take programmes and water trucking in arid and semi-arid areas in the last financial year.Bett was accompanied by PS Andrew Tuimur, Director of Livestock Julius Kiptarus, Senator Juma Wario and local leaders.