Description

Abstract: Increasing frequency of drought occurrences and a decline in the capacity of traditional mechanisms to deal with this situation is increasingly becoming a serious threat to the livelihoods of a majority of people who depend on livestock. Over three million people are currently faced with starvation due to the prevailing drought in Kenya. The challenges posed by this emerging scenario demand that decision makers devise and adopt new ways of dealing with the situation. The collection, analysis, dissemination and use of early warning information are necessary for equipping agencies and communities of livestock producers with the tools to aid in timely decision-making. This brief demonstrates how the technologies developed by the Global Livestock Collaborative Research Support Program were able to effectively track the conditions that resulted to the current drought in Kenya. The analysis is based on information derived from forage conditions and also shows how this affected livestock condition and prices. It is suggested that equipping decision makers and livestock producers with early warning tools will help them make informed choices for moving and marketing livestock and identifying appropriate options to reduce the risk of asset loss when droughts occur.