NDMA Distributes Livestock Feed Supplements to Save Pastoralists’ Livelihoods in Narok
Narok, Kenya — October 18, 2021
Pastoralist families in Narok County are receiving a lifeline after the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) began distributing livestock supplementary feed to cushion households devastated by severe drought conditions.
For months, residents have been grappling with diminishing pasture and water sources, forcing families to make difficult choices. One of the beneficiaries, Ms. Batula, shared that she had been buying 50kg bags of maize at KSh 2,000 to boil for her cattle — a measure that strained her ability to provide food for her family.
I was torn between feeding my children and saving my cows, she said, adding that the supplementary feeds brought immense relief. As a second-time beneficiary, she attested to the effectiveness of NDMA’s highly nutritious drought pellets.
The pellets are designed to boost the protein and energy levels of livestock left behind as larger herds migrate in search of pasture. These smaller herds are critical for vulnerable family members such as women, children, and the elderly who remain at home and depend on milk for nutrition.
Just a short distance from her home, we met Abdi Ahmed, who had lost 17 of his 30 cattle in only one month. With his six children now out of school to help search for pasture, Ahmed expressed hope that the supplementary feeds would rescue the weak animals still alive.
By mid-October, NDMA had allocated approximately 75,000 bags (50kg each) of livestock feed supplements to drought-affected counties, including Wajir, Samburu, Tana River, Isiolo, Narok, Garissa, Mandera, and Lamu, in an effort to safeguard pastoral livelihoods.
The drought, which President Uhuru Kenyatta declared a national disaster, continues to affect at least 10 ASAL (Arid and Semi-Arid Lands) counties, leaving more than 2 million people in need of food assistance. With support from the European Union, NDMA has disbursed over KSh 300 million in drought contingency funds to 12 counties to support urgent intervention measures.
As the drought persists, NDMA continues to strengthen community resilience through livestock support, water interventions, and long-term drought mitigation strategies.