Formal and Informal Governance: Powerful Policy Optionfor Harnessing Synergies to Secure Livestock Systems &

Environment in Marsabit, Northern Kenyaby

Dr. George J. Wamwere-Njoroge, BVM, MSc, MAPastoral Policy Advisor – USAID Kenya

Resilience and Economic Growth in the Arid Lands – Accelerated Growth(REGAL-AG)

E-Mail:g.njoroge@regal-ag.org, gwjnjoroge@yahoo.com,

wamwere.njoroge@gmail.com1

Presentation Outline• Introduction• Quote & Objectives of The Presentation• Consequences of Changes in Pastoral Livestock

Systems & Environment in Northern Kenya• Experiences/Lessons Learnt thro’ Formal and

Informal Management Structures of PastoralLivestock Systems And Environment

• Leverage on Emerging Policy/LegislativeOpportunities

• Research Opportunities and Way Forward2

Quote"Development will bring food security only-if it is people-centred,-if it is environmentally sound,-if it is participatory, and-if it builds local and national capacity for self-reliance. These are the basic characteristics ofsustainable human development."

- James Gustave Speltz (UNDP, 1994)3

Objectives of this presentation• To share experiences/lessons learnt accrued

from integration of formal and informalmanagement structures of livestock systemsand environment in Marsabit, Northern Kenya

• To enumerate the emerging innovative policy &legislative options created by the devolutionstructures, especially the county Assembly

• To highlight possible cutting-edge researchopportunities 4

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Consequences of Changing Livestock System and Environment in Northern Kenya

Key Facts – Marsabit CountyArea: 70,961 sq. km (about 11.2% of the totallandmass of Kenya)Livestock Pop: Cattle (424,603), Sheep (960,004),Goats (1,143,480), and Camels (203,320), donkeys63,861 & Poultry 50,690.Livelihoods: All Pastoral Livelihood Zone (81%), Agro-pastoral Livelihood Zone (16%), Others (4%) - formalemployment, casual waged labour, petty trade andfishing along Lake Turkana (3%)Political: 4 Constituencies - Moyale, North horr, Sakuand LaisamisHuman Pop: Projected population: 316,200 - 2012(164,100 males and 152,100 females)Annual growth rate: 2.75 percentNote: Approximately 80% landmass - arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs )(Marsabit, CIDP, 2013) & Republic of Kenya, HumanPopulation and Housing Census (2009)

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Pastoralism & Nomadic pastoralismPastoralism• Pastoralism refers to a livelihood approach that

makes use of domesticated animals - for example,sheep, goats, cattle, camels - to provide a variety ofproducts such as milk, skins, cash and occasionallyand meat

• It is also defined as a model of production wherelivestock makes up to 50 percent or more ofeconomic portfolio of a pastoral household

(UNEP & IUCN, 2013) 7

Pastoralism & Nomadic pastoralism Cont’d

Nomadic pastoralism• A model of production where over 80

percent of household income is generatedthrough regular movement of livestockacross a well-defined wet and dry seasongrazing areas

(UNEP & IUCN, 2013)

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Why pastoralism is so important• Pastoralism systems provides valuable ecosystem

services, namely:-– Maintains high levels of biodiversity, increase vegetation

soil cover, reduce erosion, prevents wildfires, maintainsinfrastructures, disperse seeds, allocate nutrients,defragmenting landscapes, etc.

• Pastoralism produces necessary goods (meat, dairy,leather, manure…), extracted sustainably from lowproductive ecosystems

• Pastoral culture constitutes a highly valuable culturaland intangible living heritage (IFAD, 2009) 9

Why pastoralism is so important• Pastoralism systems provides valuable ecosystem

services– Maintains high levels of biodiversity, increase vegetation

soil cover, reduce erosion, prevents wildfires, maintainsinfrastructures, disperse seeds, allocate nutrients,defragmenting landscapes, etc.

• Pastoralism produces necessary goods (meat, dairy,leather, manure…), extracted sustainably from lowproductive ecosystems

• Pastoral culture constitutes a highly valuable culturaland intangible living heritage (IFAD, 2009) 10

Pastoral livestock production systems Classification

• Pastoral livestock production systems– Falls under Solely Livestock Systems (SLS) which is a

livestock systems in which

– More than 90% of dry matter fed to animals comesfrom rangelands, pastures, annual forages andpurchased feeds (very rare in normal conds – myown insertion) and

– Less than 10% of the total value of production comesfrom non-livestock farming activities

(Sere´ and Steinfeld,1996) 11

System and Livestock Production System (LPS)• LPS is considered to be a subset of farming

systems• Systems - regularly interacting or interdependent

group of items forming a unified whole• Forage-livestock systems - productive groupings

that consider and utilize animals, plants, and soilcharacteristics within an environmentalperspective (Oregon State University, 2008)

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System and Livestock Production System (LPS)

• Need to understand (Human influences –MyOwn insertion-) on how the animals interactwith the plants growing in soil

• Proper management of the plant-animal-soilcontinuum (by Human –My Own insertion-) willimprove the economics and ecology of theunified whole - Human-Livestock-PastureContinuum (Sere´ and Steinfeld,1996)

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Formal Rules & Structures in pastoral livestock systemmanagement

• Provincialadministrators - chiefsand assistant chiefs

•

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• National Government

VILLAGE ELDER

ASSISTANT CHIEF

CHIEF

SUB-COUNTYCOMMISSIONER

COUNTYCOMMISSIONER

Formal Rules & Structures In Pastoral Livestock SystemManagement

• Laisamis Locationchief in a landuse/grazingmanagementseminar

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Informal Rules & Structures In Pastoral Livestock SystemManagement

• Indigenous justicesystems are based ona holistic philosophy.

Law is a way of life andjustice is a part of life

process.(Ada Pecos Melton,

1995)Photo: Borana Elder intraditional regalia 16

TraditionalManagementSet Up inBorana

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Harnessing SynergySynergy• According to Evans (1996), the term synergy refers to the

developmental multiplier effects of collaboration betweenstate and society, or between formal and informalarrangements

• The Author stipulated that synergy requires a combination ofcomplementarity and embeddedness between state (formal –my insertion) and society (informal – my insertion)

• Both complementary capacities & relations of trust and mutualinterest must coincide in order to produce the mutual gainsassociated with synergy

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Harnessed Synergy Cont’dHarnessed energy gives resilience toPastoralists to a confront:Four Types Uncertainties• Ecological uncertainties• Livelihood uncertainties• Knowledge uncertainties• Social and political uncertainties

(Mehta et al.1999) 20

Policy and Legislation needs• Livestock production and marketing• Animal health Care delivery System

• Disease Control and Prevention• Livestock movement

• Branding and Traceability of livestock• Farm-to-Fork Concept

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Policy and Legislation Priorities

• Meat Control and Hygiene• Branding of livestock products – Niche Markets

• Promotion of public-private-partnership (PPP)• Organic livestock production• Livestock System and Grazing management

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Research Opportunities

• Counties are willing and have some resources to pilotinnovations in:-– Climate smart technologies– Improved breeds– Product development/Abattoir development– Branding

• Many counties Kajiado, Marsabit etc. – proposingestablishment of abattoirs

– Disease control and livestock movement – e.g. Digital pen• Upscale and/or Outscale Community conservancy model, to

integrate livestock marketing/business enterprises23

Acknowledgement• USAID Kenya Resilience and Economic growth in the Arid

Lands – Accelerated Growth (REGAL-AG)• International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

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References• County Integrated Development Program

Marsabit,, 2013)• Mehta, L., Leach, M., Newell, P., Scoones, I.,

Silvaramakrishnana, K., AND Sally-Ann Way(1999)

• Melton, Ada Pecos (1995). Indigenous justicesystems and tribal society Judicature 79(December). Reprinted online by Tribal CourtClearinghouse. 25

References Cont’d

• Peter Evans (1996): Social Capital - ConceptualFrameworks and Empirical Evidence - An AnnotatedBibliography, Tine Rossing Feldman and SusanAssaf. Social Development Family - Environmentallyand Socially. Sustainable Development Network.

• Republic of Kenya (2009) - Human Population andHousing Census

• Steinfeld, H and J. Mäki-Hokkonen (2013): AnimalProduction and Health Division, FAO, Rome, Italy.

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