Herders urged to insure their animals against drought. [Photo|Courtesy]
Herders in arid and semi-arid regions (ASAL) have been urged to insure their livestock to cushion them against any adversity befalling their animals.
Agriculture CS Willy Bett said that farmers can be in a position to use the funds from their payouts to finance some other farming projects and this can only be achieved through insuring their animals.
Mr Bett said that 11,407 pastoralists from Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir, Isiolo, Turkana and Tana River counties have insured their livestock and the government will pay a total of Sh319, 191,600 to them.
He said that the payout is intended to purchase animal feeds, provide water, procure animal health services or move animals to areas with better forage to cushion them against starvation and possible deaths.
Mr Bett said that thousands of children and families have been left vulnerable by the drought that hit most parts on the ASAL regions and that the government has set aside some funds to address the drought situation.
“In addition to livestock insurance support, the government is implementing other programmes aimed at improving the resilience and livelihoods of pastoral communities in the ASAL counties.”
“County governments should set aside funds to complement our efforts in order to cushion vulnerable members of the society from extreme shocks resulting from drought,” said the CS.
The Kenya Agriculture Insurance Programme was started in July 2014 in Wajir and Turkana counties as a mitigation approach and to protect the livelihoods of pastoralists’ from death as a result of drought.
This year, the government has expanded the livestock insurance to two more counties - Garissa and Samburu.