The priority areas emanating from the study and selected by the Bank for intervention include: (i) Water Resources Infrastructure, (ii) Livestock Infrastructure, (iii) Markets and Marketing of livestock and livestock products, (iv) Capacity Building and (vi) Conflict Resolution and Peace Building.
The Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Program (DRSLP), FEED MY COW, will develop regional systems to alleviate the negative impacts caused by the deteriorating environmental conditions in the Horn of Africa. Mechanisms will be established to enhance the availability of infrastructure for natural resources management (water and pastures) at the regional level (given the mobility of pastoralists across borders) and ensuring stability of the environment as well as the harmonious sharing of the resources in a sustainable manner.
The DRSLP will be carried out in phases, with the first phase beginning in 2013. Three countries - Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya - and IGAD will be financed in the first phase for an amount of US $125 million. However, it is imperative to have all the countries included in the program to prevent problems of overgrazing, transmission of trans-boundary animal diseases and conflicts that may occur if one country has better water, pasture and livestock services resulting in pastoralist flocking to one location.
The first phase of the program has four components: natural resource management component focusing on enhanced water infrastructure for humans, agriculture and livestock, and enhanced regional water basins cooperation and coordination; improvement of livestock infrastructure and management component; project management and capacity building component aimed at national and regional capacity building activities to strengthen operational capabilities in the region and; support to IGAD Secretariat for technical assistance and capacity building component.
Expected Program Outcomes and Impact
The key activities include: developing water storage and other related infrastructures; protection of water reservoirs and conservation of water catchment areas; development of market infrastructure and communication and information systems in pastoral rural areas; optimizing potential value chains and strengthen regional trade and; enhancing community participation in the management of water, pasture and livestock marketing.
The expected impact of the DRSLP include: (i) improved management of natural resources, (ii) improved livestock market infrastructure and animal health system, (iii) improved agro-pastoralists livelihoods; and iv) enhanced regional cooperation for the management of trans-boundary natural resources.
The program activities will contribute to rebuilding existing livelihoods through investment in integrated land management, ecosystem restoration and protection, and also investment in agricultural and livestock infrastructure, while improving storage, market and transport infrastructure, such as rural roads. Human and institutional capacity development will create stronger institutions that are capable of withstanding the impacts of climate change and also increase the number of people capable of generating and handling climate change information.
The program aims to improve rural livelihoods by reduction in poverty levels and improved incomes through enhanced livestock production and trade and other income generating activities. Through capacity building and facilitation processes, the program will support the community initiatives on peace-building and conflict resolution, animal rustling and conflicts between farmers and pastoralists.
Sustainability will be ensured through strengthened and sustainable institutional framework, use of existing country systems, the application of user charges and cost recovery systems and beneficiary ownership.
Sources of Funding
The regional study on sustainable livestock development estimated financing requirements of US $15 billion over a period of 15 years to develop drought resilience and eradicate negative impacts of droughts through improving the livestock management systems in the region. The main sources of finance for the planned investments will be the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Governments in the HoA countries, and other development partners.
