The national government, in collaboration with county leaders, has agreed to urgently reprogramme World Bank–funded agriculture projects to respond to Kenya’s worsening drought while strengthening long-term resilience in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).
The decision was reached following a high-level consultative meeting held in Malindi between the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the Council of Governors’ Agriculture Committee, and the ASAL Governors Caucus.
The meeting focused on aligning national and county responses to the escalating drought crisis affecting livelihoods across the country.
Speaking after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Sen. Mutahi Kagwe, said the government will adopt an all-of-government approach that treats crops, livestock, and livelihoods as an interconnected system.
He noted that the new strategy aims to balance urgent humanitarian needs with long-term investments that build resilience against future climate shocks.
Discussions centred on two major World Bank–supported programmes: the Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP), which covers 13 of the most drought-affected counties, and the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), implemented across the remaining 34 counties.
Under the reprogramming framework, funds from these projects will be redirected to immediate drought mitigation measures, including fodder transportation, water delivery, and livestock protection, while some planned activities are temporarily paused.
Leaders at the meeting agreed that at least 85 per cent of the reprogrammed resources will be channelled directly to on-the-ground interventions, with county governments playing a central role in planning, coordination, and implementation.
This approach is intended to ensure faster response times and greater impact at the community level.
Beyond the emergency response, the strategy prioritises long-term resilience-building initiatives such as irrigation development, establishment of fodder reserves, strengthened disease control systems, adoption of digital agriculture solutions, and increased youth inclusion in the agricultural sector.
These measures are expected to reduce dependence on rain-fed farming and better prepare farming communities for recurring climate-related shocks.