By benadeta mwaura - Reporter
Kenya, January 16 2026 - The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has announced a major new national animal feed reserves programme aimed at protecting livestock, and the millions of pastoralist livelihoods that depend on them, from catastrophic drought-related losses that have previously cost the economy billions of shillings.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe launched the initiative during the opening of the Emkitha Dairy Cooperative Union in Embu County, stressing that drought has ceased to be a once-off crisis and is now a recurring reality for many regions, particularly in the Arid and Semi- Arid Lands (ASALs).
“Drought is no longer an emergency; it is a recurring reality. We must act before losses occur,” Kagwe said, emphasising the need for proactive measures. The most recent drought cycle killed more than 2.5 million livestock and caused economic losses exceeding KSh50 billion, affecting pastoralists’ incomes, food security and broader rural economies.
Under the new plan, the government will create strategic animal feed reserves, stockpiling silage, hay and other drought-fodder during periods of surplus for deployment in dry spells. Counties will be responsible for planning, stocking and distributing the reserves, with the national government providing coordination, funding and technical support.
Cooperatives will serve as delivery agents to ensure feed reaches livestock owners promptly and efficiently. Feed deployment will be guided by early warning systems, designed to trigger timely action before drought conditions deteriorate. The goal is to prevent distress sales, livestock deaths and income collapse for pastoralist families.
The programme is part of a broader livestock resilience strategy that also includes: Intensified vaccination campaigns, including against diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and anthrax. Strict controls on livestock movement from counties affected by disease outbreaks to minimise spread and safeguard markets.
Continued support to dairy cooperatives and cold-chain infrastructure, improving milk quality and reducing post-harvest losses. Structural reforms involving animal off-take programmes and fertilizer subsidy adjustments to bolster agro-pastoral productivity.
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Livestock farming, particularly in ASAL counties, is a cornerstone of rural livelihoods, food security and local economies. Past drought cycles have devastated herds, forced households into distress asset sales and contributed to rising food insecurity across East Africa.
A recent report shows that 45.3 million East Africans face food insecurity as drought conditions intensify heading into 2026. By creating feed reserves, the government aims to stabilise income flows and protect animal body condition during dry periods, reducing the scale of livestock death and supporting food production, nutrition and market stability.
County governments such as Turkana are already distributing supplementary feeds and veterinary vaccines to vulnerable households to support resilience at the community level. The feed reserve initiative also aligns with longer-term drought resilience planning, including proposals in policy frameworks to establish a National Livestock Feeds Reserve that would act as a structured buffer against price volatility, feed shortages and climate shocks.
These proposals aim to integrate feed conservation, rangeland development and fodder production systems into Kenya’s livestock value chain planning. CS Kagwe emphasised that protecting pastoralist assets and incomes will require both immediate responses and long-term structural adaptation, with efforts to build early warning systems, strengthen county-level capacity, and ensure coordinated national support.
“We cannot allow drought to destroy livestock livelihoods… Feed reserves are critical to stabilising incomes, protecting food production, and reducing losses worth billions of shillings,” he said.
