SAMBURU DISTRICT

SHORT RAINS ASSESSMENT 2006

26 - 31 JANUARY 2006

Assessment Team:

Sammy Maritim Ministry of Water and Irrigation

Mary Mwale Ministry of Agriculture

James Kamunge World Food Program

Samburu District, 2006 Short Rains Assessment

Disclaimer: The recommendations of the National Assessment Teams are tentative and subject to the

approval of the Kenya Food Security Steering Group (KFSSG).

2

3.0 PROVISIONALFOOD AID RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAMBURU

DISTRICT

3.1 Summary of Recommendations

Rationale for Emergency Food and Non-Food Recommendations

The recommendations of the team were based on the impact of the short rains on food

security indicators, coping strategies to access food or prevent starvation and the on-

going interventions at the district level.

Coping strategies

The current drought stress has caused the communities in the district to resort to the

following coping mechanisms:

• Reduction of meal size (porridge) and one meal per day,

• Slaughter of weak animals

• Consumption of dead livestock

• Distress sales of Livestock,

• Prostitution

• Petty trade especially local brews.

• Child labour(girls as house maids and boys as herders)

• Migration in search of pasture,

• Permanent out migration from settlement

• Charcoal burning and fire wood selling for those near urban centers,

• Killing of calves to safe mothers

• Sharing of relief food,

• consumption of livestock blood,

• docking(cutting of tail) for consumption of adult sheep

• Sand harvesting near major town centers,

• Cooking and eating of Lordo leaves, eating of wild fruits

• Eating of game meat e.g., Antelopes, zebras, Tortoise

• Remittances

•

Rationale for increased Food Aid

1. Long rains in 2005 was below normal and lead to very poor pasture and

browse regeneration.

2. Total failure of 2005 Short rains.

3. Livestock especially cattle have migrated to far away from the

settlements( Some to Mount Kenya, Abadares, Suguta Valley in Turkana,

Kapendo in Baringo and to hills and plateaus in the district.

4. Calving, Kinding and Lambing has decreased significantly and hence milk

production has reduced to almost nil.

5. Reduced purchasing power of pastoralists due to poor livestock prices

caused by poor body conditions, high supply of livestock to markets, few

livestock buyers/traders.

6. limitedwild fruits due to the drought.

Samburu District, 2006 Short Rains Assessment

Disclaimer: The recommendations of the National Assessment Teams are tentative and subject to the

approval of the Kenya Food Security Steering Group (KFSSG).

3

7. High malnutrition rates

8. Increased distress coping mechanisms

3.1.1 Food Interventions

An emergency food intervention is recommended targeting 50-60 % of the

populations in the pastoral livelihood zones in the district. Until July 2006. No food

aid is recommended for the Agro-Pastoral LZs in Kirisia and Lorroki Divisions.

Agro-pastoral areas had a good harvest of maize and beans during the 2005 Long

rains.

The food aid should be inform of GFD, the district could change to FFW if the if the

rains come on time (early April 2006). This is important especially for Baragoi and

Nyiro divisions where FFW activities was stopped by DSG (due to high levels of

food insecurity) in December 2005 before completion of projects that they started.

Food Aid Interventions

3.1.2.1 Emergency Non-Food Interventions

a) Agricultural seeds

Promotion of drought resistant crops in Agro-pastoral LZs is practiced the district and do

not have seeds to plant in the coming long rains season. Crops seed is recommended to

assist these farmers start of.

b) Livestock Off-take

Animal conditions are fair to good. The livestock body conditions are expected to

deteriorate as the dry spell progresses. The farmers fear that some of the weak animals

may succumb to drought and livestock diseases in the district. The district would like to

de-stock 6000 cattle, 60000 goats and sheep that are at the risk of dying from drought at a

cost of KShs 26.5 million.

c) Livestock Vaccinations.

Division Vulner

ability

Rankin

g of

division

Food

Insecurity

Range of

%

populatio

n

Requirin

g Food

aid

Locations Possib

le

Food

ration

Possible Non Food Interventions

See below table for other Non Food

interventions

Nyiro 1 High 50-60 All 75% GFD January to April, FFW May-July

Waso 2 High 50-60 All 75% GFD January to April, FFW May-July

Baragoi 3 High 50-60 All 75% GFD January to April, FFW May-July

Wamba 4 High 50-60 All 75% GFD January to April, FFW May-July

Lorroki 5 Low in

Agropastora

l LZ

50-60 Kirimon

Lodokejek

Amaiya

75% GFD January to April, FFW May-July

Kirisia 6 Low in

Agro-

pastoral LZ

50-60 Barsaloi

Lbukoi

Opiroi

75% GFD January to April, FFW May-July

Samburu District, 2006 Short Rains Assessment

Disclaimer: The recommendations of the National Assessment Teams are tentative and subject to the

approval of the Kenya Food Security Steering Group (KFSSG).

4

Comprehensive Livestock vaccination campaign against Anthrax in Wamba division

should be carried out as an emergency at a cost of KSHs.500,000/=.

d) Disease surveillance

Intensify diseases surveillance along the grazing regions and extension services on

effective control of tick borne diseases and other livestock diseases to save herders from

high livestock losses.

e)Water tankering

Provision of 2-additional water tankers for water trucking to 14 water stress areas.

3.1.2.2 Long Term Non-Food Interventions

• De-silting of water earth pans.

• Pasture seed provision.

3.1.3 Monitoring required

a) The onsets of the Long rains (March-May) need to be monitored. Delay of the

start of the rains could lead to more populations getting food insecure.

b) Monitoring of livestock diseases in grazing areas. An outbreak of notifiable

diseases could cause mass deaths of livestock concentrated in the grazing.

c) Nutritional status of the vulnerable groups children under five years.

d) Insecurity in the grazing areas.

Summary of Non-Food Interventions Type of

intervention

Activity Estimated

Costs (Ksh)

Comments

Emergency Intervention

1 Seeds Maize –-----MT@ -------/Kg

Beans—-------MT@-------/Kg

Cowpeas—----MT@-------/Kg

Green-grams—---MT@-------

/Kg

Sorghum--------MT@-------/Kg

Pigeon peas---MT@-------/Kg

Supply of seeds before the onset of

long rains.

2 Livestock off-

take

Off-take of 6000 cattle, KShs

5,000 per animal, 60,000 goats

and sheep at KShs500

60M Targeted livestock in the district.

3 Intesification

of disease

surveillance.

Fuel and subsistence allowances

for 12 weeks

-------

Surveillance to detect outbreak of

notifiable diseases. High incidences of

livestock diseases and deaths in the

grazing areas.

4 Vaccinations

against

Anthrax

20,000 doses of Blanthrax

vaccine

Logistical support

300,000

192,000

Doses for

20,000 cattle in Wamba division

5 Water

tankering

Fuel,, fast moving spare parts

and allowances.

2.175M Provision of domestic water to 14

stress areas.

6 Fuel subsidy 28-Water boreholes 2.13M Assist in running of water supplies.

Long Term Interventions

1 Planting of

pasture seeds

Seed.

Check budget

----- To enhance pasture regeneration on

degraded land.

Samburu District, 2006 Short Rains Assessment

Disclaimer: The recommendations of the National Assessment Teams are tentative and subject to the

approval of the Kenya Food Security Steering Group (KFSSG).

5

2 De-silting of ---

water pans and

earth dams

- ------------- Increase the capacity of the water pans.

3 Drilling

additional 4

boreholes

Drilling and Equipping strategic

boreholes.

12M Supplement water supply.