OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT SPECIAL PROGRAMMES ARID LANDS RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROJECT II

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1 OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT SPECIAL PROGRAMMES ARID LANDS RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROJECT II DROUGHT MONTHLY BULLETIN FOR MARCH 27 WEST POKOT DISTRICT WARNING STAGES Livelihood Zone Warning stage Trend Agro pastoral Normal Stable Mixed farming Normal Stable Pastoral Normal Stable Time line activities Dry spell Long rains Short rains Long rains harvesting Dec Jan Feb March April May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov Situation Overview The month was hot and dry with few days of showers being experienced in various parts of the district. Cereal sales are within normal range in Kapenguria and Lelan. Livestock sales volumes are within normal range whereas cereals prices have stabilized. Nutrition status of under five in all economy zones is within normal range. Water situation in all economy zones is good. General livestock body conditions are good in all economy zones. Forage and browse have significantly improved in all economy zones. 1

2 Recommendations to the district authorities. Increased promotion of production and consumption of drought resistant crops in the line of sweet potatoes, cassava and sorghum. Expansion of the already ongoing pasture improvement and range rehabilitation through establishment of grass and re-seeding of rangelands. Current interventions Non food interventions: Camel introduction in Kangoletiang Kasei division. Construction of Karenger and Seker water pans in Kapenguria and Sigor divisions respectively. Kapora water spring protection in Lelan division. Food aid Emop was withdrawn by end of February. 1. Stability 1.1 Rainfall Hot and dry conditions prevailed throughout the month with few cases of rainfall being experienced in various parts of the district. These rains were very good in quantity but were not utilized as people await the onset of the long rains which is currently late as usually comes by mid March. 1.2 Natural vegetation and pasture condition. The short rains have resulted in good forage regeneration in most divisions except for Alale and Kasei which are a bit dry having recorded poor rains in the recent past. Pasture is evidently lacking in most pastoral and agro pastoral regions due to range degradation. It s estimated that there will be sufficient browse in the district to sustain the browsers. No major constrains to forage accessibility have so far been reported apart from livestock diseases, insecurity and lack of water which are at an insignificant scale. 1.3 Water sources and availability. Households are currently relying on water pans, boreholes, natural ponds, traditional river wells, streams, sub surface dams and hand dug shallow wells along seasonal river course in pastoral and agro pastoral zones. Congestions in most of these water sources combined with the current dry conditions and insignificant rains experienced of late have led to drying up of most of these water holding grounds. Average return distance to water source is still high at 3.5 kms to grazing fields as well as to 2.2 kms from households with an average return time of 1.2hrs as was registered last month. 1.4 Emerging issues. There have been cases of congestions in the already existing water holding grounds in most pastoral and agro pastoral livelihood zones hence putting pressure on the already existing water points as well as increased case of internal conflicts over water. In Alale for example, inadequate pasture have resulted to animals slowly migrating to dry season grazing areas of Uganda hence escalating Intra community conflicts along the boarder. 1.5 Implication on food security. Water is within reach for most households though distances and time spent in search of water are slightly on an upward trend. Forage in most regions is good thus leading to retention of most animals at the wet season grazing areas near the homesteads hence household accessibility to milk among other animal products. This is not a normal occurrence at this time of the year as usually animals move to dry season grazing areas as from October and their retention within household reach till this time round has resulted to stabilized household food security status of the pastoralists as the current weather conditions was favourable for pasture and browse development in most regions. 2

3 2. Availability. 2.1 Livestock production Livestock body condition. Livestock body conditions for all species are good in all economy zones Livestock diseases. There has been no major disease outbreak in the district though in Chesegon and Sigor surveillance of R.V.F. is still ongoing as well as vaccination against common livestock diseases i.e LSD, CBPP and FMD Milk production. Milk production was on a downward trend during the month under review with an average of 59.9 (75ml) bottles daily production per sample area slightly above what was recorded last month an attribute to the current deteriorating forage quality and quantity. Birth rate is within normal range at 4.7% cattle, 9.8% sheep, 13.4% goats and 33.3% camels respectively i.e 53 no. calves, 1 camels, 349 goats and 98 sheep as monitored from 9 sample areas. Kapenguria and Lelan had the highest daily milk production of 151 and 127 (75ml) bottles on average per division i.e 5 (75ml) bottles and 4.2 bottles average daily production per household. Whereas the lowest was recorded in Alale of 5 bottles on average i.e 2 ml daily productions per household on average. 2.2 Crop production Timeliness and status of crop. Farms are currently being prepared for planting Pests and diseases. No cases of pests or diseases were reported during the month under review Harvests. No major activities are ongoing. 2.3 Implication on food security. Cereals are readily available in various markets within the district thus cushioning food stuff prices at all levels of marketing. 3

4 3. Accessibility. 3.1 Livestock marketing Cattle prices. Prices in ksh Cattle prices Cattle Cattle n=33 HH's Cattle s marketing is good in all economy zones. Market prices are within normal range at ksh.8,153 from ksh.8,715 registered last month. During the month under review, Kongelai and Lelan registered the highest cattle prices of Ksh.12, and 11,35 respectively where as Sigor had the lowest of ksh4, Goats prices. Goats prices 12 1 Prices in ksh Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Goats Goats n=33hh's Average goat price registered during the month was ksh.762. These prices are within normal range though on a downward trend. During the month under review, Sigor and Kacheliba divisions recorded the highest goat prices in the district on average of ksh. 8 and ksh. 778 per animal. Where as Chesegon recorded the lowest of ksh.625 on average. 4

5 3.1.3 Sheep prices. Sheep prices. 12 Prices in ksh Sheep Sheep n=33hh's Average sheep prices recorded during the month was ksh.711. Chepareria division recorded the highest of ksh.817 where as the lowest was registered in Chesegon of ksh Livestock sales. Livestock sales are within normal range in all economy zones with an average percentage livestock selling rate of 4.3%, 2.9% and 2.8% summing up to a total of 31 cattle, 18 sheep and 67 goats respectively per sample area. Livestock marketing have been largely affected by the uncertainty caused by the recent R.V.F. pandemic in the neighboring districts of Baringo and Marakwet. 3.3 Milk consumption. Milk consumption at household level is good in all economy zones with at least 75% of the daily production being consumed at household level i.e 1.5(75 ml) bottles same as was recorded last month. A 75ml bottle of milk is currently fetching ksh.15 in the market with Kacheliba and Chepareria divisions registering the highest of ksh.2 and the lowest of ksh.1 in Chesegon and Lelan. 3.4 Crop prices Maize prices. Price in ksh./kg Maize prices Maize Maize n=33hh's Cereal prices have stabilized though on a downward trend as farm produce are now cushioning market prices that are currently at their all time low. A kilo of maize is costing ksh.11 per kilo on average. Deviation in these prices is as a result of cereal market being not so much active of recent as only divisions with adequate cereal reserves are currently trading on the same i.e Lelan, Kapenguria and Chepareria. These prices are within normal range at these times of the year. Chepareria recorded the highest of ksh.14 per kilo whereas Kapenguria and Lelan recorded the lowest of ksh.1 per kilo. 5

6 3.4.2 Beans prices. Prices in ksh./kg Beans prices Beans Beans n=33hh's Legumes accessibility and availability is stable in all economy zones with an average of ksh.4 per kilo on average. These prices are within normal range as they were only recorded in Kapenguria division. 3.5 Income Crops income. Sale of food crops especially cereals is still ongoing in mixed livelihood zones of Chepareria, Kapenguria and Lelan Livestock income. Livestock sales are stable in various markets within the district with sales rate being high in most agro and pastoral livelihood zones for various species. Chepareria division had the highest livestock turnover with an average of 18, 14 and 28 cattle, sheep and goats respectively due to it s proximity to livestock markets. Chepareria recorded the highest sales rate in cattle and goats species i.e 9.1% and 6%respectively while Kacheliba had the highest sheep turnover of 4.5% Other income. Other sources of income were; Sale/charcoal burning especially in Sigor. Sale of livestock and livestock products highest in Kongelai, Sigor and Chesegon. Sale of aloe extracts in Kacheliba as well as sale of wood. Petty trade in Chepareria and Sigor. Casual labour at an average wage rate of ksh.65 highest in Sigor and Lelan down from ksh.11 registered last month. Sale of crops in Kapenguria, Chepareriaa and Lelan Cereal: meat price ratio. Pastoralists terms of trade is favorable as cereals prices are low and livestock marketing improves estimated at one goat to one bag of maize. 3.6 Implication on food security. Livestock trade has not yet recovered from the fears of R.V.F. as well as from the imposed quarantine in some of the perceived risk prone regions, thus affecting pastoralists food security status as their only source of livelihood has been compromised. 6

7 4. Welfare (utilization of food) 4.1 Nutrition status. %MUAC Nutritional status (%MUAC<135mm) Ave. May MUAC<135mm 6 Ave. May MUAC<135mm n=33hh's The average %ARM level of children under five years (MUAC<135mm) is within normal range. An average of 4 children had an Upper Arm Circumference <135mm i.e 8 in Sasak, 4 in Ptokou, 2 in Kacheliba and 1 in Kapsait sample areas representing 6.8% of the total number monitored from 7.3% registered last month. A total of 373 children were monitored from 27 households and beyond. % malnutrition status is deteriorating due to increased prevalence of wasting to children under five years as well as children generally having delayed milestone in pastoral areas due to lack of appropriate weaning diets which makes mothers prolong breast feeding and delaying weaning as well as decline in food reserves and general milk production in most pastoral livelihood zones. 4.2 Health. There were no cases of disease outbreaks reported during the month as those reported i.e malaria and typhoid are a common occurrence throughout the district. Also disease surveillance by the M.O.H for R.V.F. is already on especially in high risk areas of Sigor and Chesegon. 5. Current intervention measures. The following interventions are currently ongoing and are likely to have an effect on food security. Camel introduction in Kangoletiang Kasei division. Construction of Karenger and Seker water pans in Kapenguria and Sigor divisions. Kapora springs protection in Lelan divisions. 5.2 Food aid. No food assistance currently being distributed in the district. 5.3 Coping strategies. Households are currently employing the following coping mechanisms so as to substitute their income but at a smaller scale as indicated by coping strategies index which stand at 1.9 to an average of 26.4 population sampled; Charcoal burning. Sale of Aloe extract Sale of firewood. Sand harvesting. Sale livestock and livestock products Farming along river lines & in catchment s areas Consumption of wild vegetables (Sokoria) It s an indication that communities are not experiencing severe food stress as well as the domestic assets have stabilized. 5. Conflicts and migration. 7

8 No major cases were reported. West pokot livelihood zone map 8