Four million pastoralists to benefit in the first five
years
NAIROBI, Kenya, February 27, 2013/ — The African
Development Bank (http://www.afdb.org) today signed a US $57.66-million loan
agreement for the multinational Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods
Program (DRSLP) in the Horn of Africa (HoA) with the Government of Kenya,
bringing to US $3.04 billion the Bank’s commitment in the country’s various
sectors.
The program will be carried out in phases, with the first
phase beginning in 2013 in Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya. It will focus on about
four million beneficiaries in the first five years.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, AfDB Regional Director
for the East Africa Resource Centre (EARC) Gabriel Negatu explained that the
entire program would cover eight countries in the Horn of Africa over the next
15 years, including Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda, in
addition to the three countries in the current phase.
“It is necessary to have all the countries in the program
because if one country has better water, pasture and livestock services, the
pastoralist will move there and this could lead to overgrazing, transmission of
trans-boundary animal diseases and conflicts. The next phase is expected to
start as soon as funds are available for the remaining countries. This could be
as early as end of 2013,” Negatu said.
In Kenya, the project will cover the counties of Baringo,
Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, Turkana and West Pokot. It seeks to provide
assistance to enhance drought resilience and improve sustainable livelihoods of
the communities in the arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya. In this regard, the
project will contribute to the development of water supply and development and
rehabilitation of irrigation schemes; improvement of livestock infrastructure
and their management; and strengthening of both human and institutional
capacity to improve operational capabilities in the project area.
Phase one will look at improving management of natural
resources, livestock market infrastructure and agro-pastoralists’ livelihoods.
It will also include the enhancement of animal health system and regional
cooperation for the management of trans-boundary natural resources.
The Horn of Africa (HoA) region is often affected by
severe recurrent droughts and chronic food insecurity. In 2011, the region
faced the worst drought in decades that decimated crops and livestock, and left
over 12 million people, mainly the pastoralist communities, in total distress
across the affected region.
Based on this analysis, during the African Union Summit
in August 2011, the Bank reiterated its long-term commitment to provide support
for a lasting solution to drought and to build resilience and improve
sustainable livelihoods of the pastoral communities in the HoA region.
http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/african-development-bank.jpg
Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf
of the African Development Bank.
For further information or to arrange an interview,
please contact: Mercy Randa m.randa@afdb.org +254 735 229 542
SOURCE
African Development Bank (AfDB)
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