Contribution of International Non Governmental Organizations in The Livestock Health and Survival: A Case Study of Turkana District in Kenya

ABSTRACT

The problem was to investigate why there is poor livestock health and survival despite interventions by llIGOs in Turkana District. The purpose of the study was to determine and describe the relationships between the interventions by the INGOs and the promotion of livestock health and survival in the Turkana district. The methodology used was semi-structured interviews with community members in sampled areas and questionnaires with senior staff of the INGOs under review. The qualitative data collected was summarized in tables, graphs, pie chart and models to show relationships of various parameters. The quantitive data from questionnaires was summarized in excel sheets and presented as bar graphs and pie charts. The main findings were that the five 1NGOs mobilized enormous resources which increased livestock survival. The efforts towards increased mobility of pastoralists through reduction of conflict and opening up new areas for grazing played a role in ensuring further survival of livestock. The conclusion of the study was that although the interventions in water, livestock health and conflict reduction enhanced livestock survival and the capacity of the pastoralists to cope with the hazards of drought and new livestock diseases, the challenge of reduced mobility of pastoralists due to conflicts limited the gains achieved. The efforts of 1NGOs and coordination by the District Steering Group however helped reduce the vulnerability of Turkana livestock keepers. The key recommendations of this study: There should be measures to undertake climate change adaptations studies necessary to ensure livelihood security and survival of livestock in Turkana .More efforts should be put in place for appropriate interventions to ensure increased community resilience. The llTGOs must lobby for legal, institutional and policy framework and for more resources allocation by both the Government and development actors in order to develop appropriate infrastructure and services that can open up Turkana for livestock development.