Garissa livestock response seeks to shield livelihoods

Officials pose with sacks of range cubes that will be distributed to livestock herders in the county / STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Garissa county has launched a major livestock emergency response to cushion pastoralists from the effects of the recent drought.

Livestock chief officer Ahmed Shidiye, who led the exercise, said the move is aimed at safeguarding livelihoods and strengthening resilience across the region.

“The initiative reflects the county government’s broader push toward a food-secure Garissa, supporting pastoralists during times of crisis, while strengthening their capacity to sustain livelihoods in the long term,” he said.

Livestock production remains the backbone of Garissa’s economy, with more than 80 per cent of residents depending on it for both income and food security.

The intervention focuses on keeping livestock healthy, productive and market-ready. It is being rolled out under the Food Systems Resilience Programme in collaboration with the Abli 2 programme and the Solo Sfera project.

Livestock Chief Officer Ahmed Shidiye flags off the livestock  emergency response exercise. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO

The vaccination drive includes 50,000 cattle protected against foot and mouth disease and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia.

In addition, 250,000 sheep and goats are being vaccinated against peste des petits ruminants, contagious caprine pleuropneumonia and sheep and goat pox, alongside deworming. A further 20,000 camels are being vaccinated against anthrax and treated for parasites.

The chief officer said the Governor Nathif Jama-led administration has made a deliberate investment in the livestock sector, noting that it remains central to the county’s economic stability.

The team of veterinary doctors from Garissa who will be involved in the exercise pose for a group photo. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO

On the ground, the support is already reaching herders through a wide range of critical inputs and services. The county has distributed 7,150 bags of range cubes and 7,000 mineral blocks to boost animal nutrition, alongside 1,000 litres of dewormer to control internal parasites.

At the same time, eight veterinary teams have been deployed to carry out a large-scale vaccination campaign targeting 320,000 animals.

“The timing of the intervention is critical, coming as pastoralists move livestock in search of pasture following the rains, a period often associated with increased risk of disease outbreaks due to animal mixing and migration,” Shidiye said.

Hussein Ahmed, a pastoralist from Fafi, said the programme offers more than just veterinary support.

“Healthy livestock translates into a steady milk supply, improved market prices and reduced losses as communities recover from drought,” he said.

The resilience programme is expected to stabilise livestock health, protect household incomes and build more resilient pastoral systems in the seasons ahead.