COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK HOLDS STAKEHOLDERS MEETING FOR DRIVE PROJECT

The County Department of Agriculture and Livestock recently held a stakeholders mapping meeting at Kalya Hotel for the DeRisking Inclusion and Enhancement (DRIVE) Project. This Kenyan government initiative aims to support pastoral economies in 21 counties, including West Pokot County, through financial interventions like index-based livestock insurance products to protect pastoralists from drought shocks. The project also focuses on providing a comprehensive package of financial services, improving market connections, upgrading livestock infrastructure, facilitating trade, and attracting private sector investment through a de-risking facility.

The meeting was officially opened by Wilfred Longronyang, the County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture and Livestock. It brought together stakeholders from various sectors, including farmer cooperatives, SACCOs, government institutions, and projects such as the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), the county directorate of livestock development, the Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme (ASDSPII), the Food Security and Resilience Program (FSRP), and the Building Resilient Food Systems and Nutrition Security (BREFONS) initiative. NGOs like Action Against Hunger (ACF), World Vision, and ADS, which actively work with pastoral groups, also participated.

CEC Longronyang encouraged stakeholders to promote pasture production among pastoral farmers, highlighting its numerous benefits including cost-effective feed, improved animal nutrition and welfare, enhanced soil health and sustainability, environmental benefits, reduced labor and machinery costs, higher quality milk and meat, and better pest and disease control. He emphasized that pasture production is especially beneficial in the face of climate change impacts.

Judith Muricho from the State Department of Livestock Development, along with representatives from ZEP RE, a reinsurance company, guided the stakeholders through the DRIVE project. They detailed Component 1 of the project, which includes financial services such as subsidized index-based livestock insurance and savings, financial literacy programs, digital accounts, and platforms. The priority areas of the project are pasture production and conservation, livestock production, livestock finishing, and value addition.