Govt to establish animal feed reserves to curb livestock losses during drought
By Nancy Marende, January 15, 2026The government has announced plans to establish national animal feed reserves to protect livestock and pastoralist livelihoods from devastating losses during droughts.
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe issued the directive while speaking at the launch of the Emkitha Dairy Cooperative Union in Embu County on Thursday, January 15, 2026.
He said the move is aimed at preventing a repeat of the massive losses witnessed during previous droughts, which claimed more than 2.5 million livestock and caused economic losses estimated at over Ksh50 billion, particularly in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL).
“Drought is no longer an emergency; it is a recurring reality. We must act before losses occur. The Government is committed to protecting pastoralist assets through structured feed and water provision, animal off-take programmes, and disease control measures, while ensuring long-term strategies are in place to prevent future droughts from escalating into emergencies,” Kagwe said.
Under the new plan, strategic animal feed reserves, including silage, hay, and other drought-resistant fodder, will be stockpiled during periods of surplus and released during dry spells.
Counties will take the lead in planning, stocking, and distributing the feed, while the national government will provide coordination, funding, and technical support.
Further, cooperatives will play a central role as delivery agents to ensure the feed reaches livestock owners efficiently, while early warning systems will be used to trigger timely deployment to prevent livestock deaths and distress sales.
“We cannot allow drought to destroy livestock livelihoods. Feed reserves are critical to stabilising incomes, protecting food production, and reducing losses worth billions of shillings,” Kagwe emphasised.
To further safeguard the livestock sector, the government will enforce strict controls on livestock movement from counties affected by Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and other outbreaks.
County Commissioners and security agencies will oversee enforcement, alongside intensified vaccination campaigns, including anthrax, and strengthened biosecurity measures at livestock checkpoints.
During the event, Kagwe also highlighted the importance of organised dairy cooperatives in boosting productivity and resilience. He encouraged farmers to focus on increasing milk yields per cow through proper feeding and management rather than expanding herd sizes.
Embu County currently produces about 101.3 million litres of milk annually, valued at approximately Ksh5.2 billion, with an average productivity of 8 litres per cow per day.
With improved feeding, husbandry practices, and cooperative coordination, production could significantly increase, he noted.
The government will also expand its cooperative-based input delivery model, including continued fertiliser subsidies, improved targeting of registered farmers through adjustments to the KIAMIS system, and the introduction of structured animal off-take programmes to cushion farmers during drought.
Kagwe confirmed that additional funding has been approved for more milk coolers in Embu County, building on the 13 units delivered last year at a cost of over KSh 70 million, to reduce post-harvest losses and improve milk quality.
He reiterated that counties remain on the frontline of drought preparedness and livestock protection, with the national government providing oversight and support.
“We cannot afford reactive responses. Preparedness, coordination, and accountability are key,” Kagwe said.