Store grass now, survive drought later: Marsabit farmers advised.

Farmers and pastoralists in Marsabit County have been urged to harvest and store grass during the rainy season so it can be used during the dry spell, when pasture is scarce.

Speaking after a climate stakeholders’ meeting held with support from the Centre for Research and Development in Drylands (CRDD), farmer Shibia Guyo said the practice has gone a long way in helping households cope with the effects of climate change, and that starting it does not require a large investment.

Guyo has appealed to the government and non-governmental organisations to train pastoralists on how to store fodder without losing its nutritional value.

Senior project officer at CRDD, Diba Roba, said fodder storage cuts the cost of buying and transporting feed from distant areas.

Roba called on the government and partner organisations to invest more in projects that preserve food for both livestock and people, to close the food gap during the dry season.

The 2020 to 2023 drought left pastoralists in Marsabit with heavy livestock losses, causing severe economic hardship. Fodder conservation projects are expected to cushion communities against future droughts by ensuring herders have adequate reserves.