- Ksh2.1bn plan targets El Niño livestock risks.
- 24 counties will receive initial support.
- Funds will cover vaccines, emergency response and early warning.
The Government has launched a Ksh2.1 billion plan to shield livestock farmers from anticipated El Niño flooding across 24 counties.
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe unveiled the National Livestock Sector El Niño Preparedness and Anticipatory Action Plan (NLSEPAAP) in Isiolo County. The launch follows advisories from the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), which point to a heightened risk of heavy rainfall, flooding, flash floods and localised inundation in several regions.
Officials say the plan prioritises early action over disaster response. Initially, it will target flood-prone counties with large livestock populations.
Kagwe referenced the toll of previous extreme weather events. “The 2023 El Niño and the 2024 long rains floods caused devastating losses to our livestock farmers, destroyed critical infrastructure and triggered disease outbreaks that set back the sector significantly,” he said. “We therefore need to learn from our experiences, and this is the reason we are determined to ensure that our farmers and pastoralists are not caught unprepared.”
Furthermore, he underscored the economic weight livestock carries for Kenyan households. “Livestock is the primary livelihood asset for millions of Kenyan households, particularly in our arid and semi-arid regions,” Kagwe said. “Protecting that asset during an extreme weather event is a matter of food security, economic stability and national resilience.”
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The plan currently spans Garissa, Tana River, Lamu, Kilifi, Isiolo, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Turkana, Samburu, Narok, Kajiado, Baringo, West Pokot, Busia, Kisumu, Siaya, Migori, Homa Bay, Kitui, Makueni, Machakos, Meru and Embu. Additional counties may be added as fresh meteorological advisories emerge.
Most of the budget, Ksh1.5 billion, will finance vaccines, veterinary medicines, laboratory reagents, personal protective equipment, mobile veterinary clinics and emergency response kits.
Beyond that, Ksh250 million will protect critical livestock infrastructure, while Ksh100 million will support evacuation, welfare and logistics for affected herds. Meanwhile, another Ksh100 million is earmarked for early warning systems, climate risk mapping, emergency communication networks and inter-agency coordination.
A further Ksh50 million will go toward feed and fodder reserves, water-point rehabilitation and emergency water supplies. Similarly, Ksh100 million will fund farmer awareness campaigns, biosecurity promotion, livestock insurance sensitisation, commercial offtake operations and contingency planning.
The plan will be implemented under the One Health framework, integrating human, animal and environmental health surveillance to address zoonotic disease risks.
Ultimately, the Government expects the initiative to cut livestock mortality, contain disease outbreaks, protect markets and value chains, and lower the cost of post-disaster recovery.
By Bernard Magada
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