Kajiado-Longido-Pastoralists Needs Assessment Report

S K I L L S H A R E I N T E R N AT I O N A L
EAST AFRICA OFFICE
KA J I A D O - L O N G I D O
NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND
PROGRAMME DESIGN SUMMARY
REPORT
BY
PHILIP KOI TELEL
A Z T R A M A D E C O N S U LT I N G LT D.
P.O. Box 170 Kiserian 00206, Tel: +254-723719720/ 0728077700/ 02-2011188
Email: aztramadeconsulting@yahoo.com
SEPTEMBER 2006
1
SKI-EA: Kajiado-Longido Needs Assessment Report & Proposed Programme
Design.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.
INTRODUCTION..................................................................................3
2.
SUMMARY FINDINGS...........................................................................3
2.1.
Priority Needs............................................................................................ 3
2.2.
a.
b.
Root Causal Factors..................................................................................5

Socio-economic Factors.................................................................................5
Natural Factors.............................................................................................. 6
2.3. Analysis of the Socio-Economic Factors.................................................6

a. Alienation Of Land & Land Resources............................................................6
b. Inappropriate Land Tenure And Use Policies..................................................7
c.
Insufficient Government Support for Protection & Development for the
Pastoralism Sector................................................................................................ 8
d. Poor Governance & Leadership...................................................................10
e. Poor Socio-Economic Development & Planning...........................................10
f.
Increased Human & Bovine Populations......................................................11
g. Increased Conflicts Over Declining Resources.............................................11
2.4.
a.
b.
c.
3.
Analysis of the Natural Factors.............................................................12

Frequent Droughts......................................................................................12
Harsh ASAL Environment............................................................................13
Emergence Of Persistent & Fatal Epidemics................................................14
RECOMMENDATIONS.........................................................................15
3.1. Socio-economic Issues............................................................................15
a. Alienation of traditional land and by extension land resources...................15
b. Inappropriate land tenure and use policies for the rangelands...................15
c.
Inadequate support for, protection and development for the pastoralism
sector,................................................................................................................ 16
d. Poor governance and Leadership................................................................17
e. Poor socio-economic development and planning........................................17
f.
Increased human and bovine population pressures & conflicts over the now
declining resources and resource bases.............................................................19
3.2. Natural Factors........................................................................................20
a. Frequency in droughts occurrence..............................................................20
b. The harsh arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) environment............................21
c.
Emergence and persistence of fatal and livelihood threatening diseases like
malaria outbreaks, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) and livestock diseases.......21
4.
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED PROGRAMME DESIGN.................................22
5. APPENDICES: QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND CLARIFICATIONS BY

PARTNERS..............................................................................................25
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Design.
ACRONYMS
ADC
Agricultural development corporation
AFC
Agriculture Finance Corporation
AIDS
Acquired Immuno-deficiency Syndrome
ASAL
Arid and Semi-Arid Land
CBO
CDF
Community based Organization

Constituency development fund (Kenya)
CDMA
Code dimension multi access wireless telephony system
DEWS
Drought early warning system
DLPO
District livestock production officer
EAC
East African Community
FMD
foot and mouth disease
HBC
Home based Care (usually relating to AIDS patients)
HIV
Human-Immuno-deficiency Virus
IGAs
Income Generation Activity
KE
Kenya
KMC
Kenya meat commission
LOCIP
MAAP
NGOs
PLWHAs
Longido Community Integrated Programme

Maa AIDs Awareness Programme
Non-Governmental organization
Person (s) living with the HIV/AIDS
PMTCT
Prevention of mother to child transmission of the HIV virus
SED
SKI
Socio-Economic development
Skillshare International
SMS
Short text massage
TB
Tuberculosis
TZ
Tanzania
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme
UNEP
United Nations Environmental Programme
VCT
Voluntary Counselling and testing
VSAT
Very small aperture satellite technology
WHO
World Health Organization
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Design.
4
Design.
1.
INTRODUCTION
This report summarizes the findings of the needs assessment study

commissioned by Skillshare international East Africa Office in collaboration with
MAAP and LOCIP, two local NGOs in Kenya and Tanzania respectively between
June and August 2005.
The overall goal of the study was to gather and analyze information about the
current priority needs of the target community in the specified locations,
especially focusing on issues and factors that are causing the decline in the
quality of life of the Maasai community and increasing their vulnerability to
natural and man-made disasters. It was also meant to provide a platform for
the design of an integrated sustainable livelihood project to benefit the target
community.
The report covers particular sites in Kajiado district of Kenya and Longido
district of Tanzania. Each district was stratified into three geographical areas
to give a representative picture of the different types of pastoralists,
geographical and ecological settings and the evolving livelihoods of among the
members of the Maasai community in the two districts.
The specific areas in Kajiado included: Ngong, Central and Namanga Divisions
and Eorr Enteke, Kemokua and Longido divisions of Longido district. All these
areas are found along the great north road that passes through the middle of
both districts.
The assessment sampled Nomadic, Sedentary, and Agropastoralists.
2.
SUMMARY FINDINGS
Table 1: below summarizes the categories and location of the community

respondents closely involved in the needs assessment study. In addition, the
consultant did literature review of key policy and relevant development
literature in both countries and especially those pertaining to the specific two
districts.
Table 1: Key Respondents
Key Respondents
Kajiado
Longido
Total
No. of respondents in Focus Groups
36
36
72
No. of respondents in Mixed Groups
20
18
38
No. of respondents who are Official Leaders 6
3
9
No. of respondents who are Community
6
6
Leaders
12
68
2.1.
63
131
Priority Needs
In both districts, the respondents listed thirteen main priority needs of the
community and the main root factors causing this situation. These needs were
confirmed by the consultant through literature review for example of the
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Design.
individual district development plans, current needs being addressed and faced
by the local partners (MAAP and LOCIP).
Priority Needs/Problem Situation
1. Poor Livestock D & M
2. Inadequate Finances
3. Persistent Drought
4. Idleness/unemployment especially among the youth
5. Indiscriminate Land Sales
6. Inadequate water
7. Poor Rangeland Development and management
8. Food Insecurity
9. Illiteracy/ Poor Education
10.Poor Legal/Policy Environment
11.Poor socio-economic development (SED) Infrastructure [Health, Water,
Education, Transport & Communication]
12.Retrogressive cultural practices
13.Conflicts over limited Resources
The Assessment findings highlighted two main categories of the key factors
that have historically and currently continue to influence the state of livelihood
of the target community. These include socio-economic as well as natural
factors that have lead to current unsustainable livelihoods lead by the Maasai
community.
When asked to prioritize these needs, the respondents, carefully selected to
have a balanced view and representation of the above target community areas
and categories of livelihoods gave a strikingly similar response across the two
districts and countries. Apart from two aspects/needs, about 84.6% of the
priority needs for Kajiado and Longido were closely similar. The following
figures 1-3 summarize the assessment findings:
Table 2: Priority Need Lists For Kajiado And Longido
Kajiado Priority
Need / Problem
List
A. Poor Livestock Development &
Marketing
1
B. Inadequate Finances
2
C. Persistent Drought
3
D. Idleness/unemployment
4
E. Indiscriminate Land Sales
5
F. Inadequate water
6
G. Poor Rangeland Management
7
H. Food Insecurity
8
I. Illiteracy/ Poor Education
9
J. Poor Legal/Policy Environment
10
K. Poor SED Infrastructure [Health,
Water, Education, Transport &
Communication]
11
Longido Priority
List
1
3
2
6
12
5
7
8
4
9
10
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L. Retrogressive cultural practices

M. Conflicts over limited Resources
12
13
11
13
In Kajiado the priority needs are those shown to have a close affinity to the
value of 1 e.g. poor livestock development and marketing as opposed those
closer to the value of 10 e.g. retrogressive cultural practices.
Longidos priority needs are strikingly similar to those of Kajiado apart from
poor access to education and indiscriminate land sales problems/needs which
tend to be reversed as compared to those of those in Kajiado.
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Design.
Figure 1: Combined Kajiado-Longido Needs Analysis
The above line graph of the priority needs in both districts illustrate the above
scenario.
2.2.
Root Causal Factors
a. Socio-economic Factors
The study showed that the main socio-economic culprits casing the above
livelihood situation and needs include;
i.
Alienation of traditional land and by extension land resources to create

conservation areas that do not significantly benefit the community by both
the colonial and independence administrations,
ii. Inappropriate land tenure and use policies for the pastoralism areas
(rangelands) leading to haphazard and inappropriate anthropogenic
activities in grazing rangelands such as the extension of smallholder crop
farming and commercial farming into the original Maasai grazing rangelands
iii. Lack of sufficient government support for, protection and development for
the pastoralism sector,
iv. Poor governance and leadership in local and national policy making bodies.
v. Poor socio-economic development and planning has resulted in; inadequate
health, water, education transport, and communication, infrastructure in the
ASAL areas occupied by the Maasai.
vi. Increased human and bovine population pressures resulting in overwhelming
land degradation, overgrazing, and overexploitation of natural resources and
generalized poverty.
vii. Increased human-human and human-wildlife conflicts over the now declining
resources and resource bases.
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Design.
b. Natural Factors
The natural factors highlighted included;
i.
Frequency in droughts occurrence and increased ecological stress caused by

rapidly changing weather patterns
ii. The harsh arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) environment pre-dominantly
occupied by the pastoralists,
iii. Emergence and persistence of fatal and livelihood threatening diseases like
malaria outbreaks, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB)
Together, these main factors have significantly contributed to declining quality
of life of the community and creating the current socio-economic condition of
the Maasai community that leaves it at the mercy of natural and man-caused
disasters such as the prevailing drought re-occurrence every two years and the
dreaded HIV/AIDS epidemic among others.
2.3.
Analysis of the Socio-Economic Factors
a. Alienation Of Land & Land Resources

Both the Colonial and independent administrations have historically excluded
the community from their ancestral grazing lands through creation of more
game and conservation reserves under circumstances in which the community
was not involved on a participatory and equal decision making basis.
The respondents repeatedly highlighted the fact that their predecessors did not
fully understand the repercussions of the land transfers nor did they have the
economic and legal empowerment capacity to resist such moves.
Failure to return these lands to the original communities after independence or
compensating the community for the lost lands, unprotected land tenure and
use system upon independence and weak, inappropriate land policies that have
remained an extremely hot political issue in both countries, but especially in
Kenya have ensured continual marginalisation of the Maasai community.
As Blaikie and Brookfield clearly noted;
The spread of the tsetse fly, rinderpest, smallpox and other diseases...were
powerfully aided as a disruptive force by the annexation of' land from which
people were forced to move and required to settle in formerly avoided areas.
(1987:106). Enforced migration and the annexation of land by white colonizers
created overnight pressure on strategic land resources.
In addition, colonial policies of "pacification" and "sedentarization" of
pastoralists, promotion of agriculture at times at the expense of pastoralism,
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Design.
creation of nature reserves, penetration of market forces, and population

growth have greatly undermined the viability of the traditional pastoral system.
Similarly, wherever national wildlife parks have been established in Kenya and
Tanzania, the indigenous peoples who formerly hunted, gathered, cultivated,
and pastured their livestock there have been evicted from the land, on the
premise that their presence constitutes a threat to area wildlife and
conservation efforts.
Good examples of this fact are the creation of the Amboseli and Maasai Mara
National reserves in Kenya and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania
all originally traditional Maasai grazing and migratory pasture and watering
areas.
The taking over by the Kenya government of Amboseli National Park in 1974
forced pastoralists out of their dry season grazing areas. In recent times, the
gazettement of Ngong hills by the government in 1981 created Maasai
squatters in their own land who now live at the eastern side of the foot of
Ngong hills. Since pastoralists were moved to lower parts of the hill they now
have very little ground for grazing. The community population numbering
about 1000 was allocated 400 yards but without access to water catchments
areas in the hills and grazing land were lost to the forest Department.
The result is very little benefits going back to the community in terms of
income, employment opportunities and socio-economic development as
compared to the benefits accruing to the governments, tourists, international
tourism management business owners and conservationists from the lucrative
tourism and conservation industries.
The claiming of private property title by others especially in Tanzania has lead
to further prohibition of resource access. As land is put to other economic uses,
such as agriculture or tourism, collective usufruct rights are broken and lost by
the community for good.
Once a community has been denied access to traditionally used areas,
traditional or progressive appropriate land-use practices cannot be carried out;
for example extensive grazing and wild-food collection, private ecotourism
ventures etc.
The exclusion of the Maasai from their lands through insecure land tenure and
speculation, agricultural pressures and conservation has led to a cycle of;
tenure
insecuritycommunity
breakdownoveruseevictionmarginalisation
which is difficult to break.
Rapid increase of the Maasai and in-migrant population has added more
pressure to the land (overstocking and overgrazing).
This has left the Maasai pastoralists at the margins of their former lands and
the margins of their former existence/livelihood status
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Design.
The result is that there is simply not enough land at their disposal to manage in
the traditional way and especially given the ballooning Maasai and migrant and
livestock populations.
b. Inappropriate Land Tenure And Use Policies
The demise of the colonial regime did not significantly change state policies.
In fact, the sedentarization of pastoralists, the establishment of national parks,
the promotion of agriculture, and the "commoditization" of the local economy
proceeded at an even faster pace.
Inappropriate land tenure and use policies for the pastoralism areas
(rangelands) has lead to haphazard and inappropriate anthropogenic activities
in grazing rangelands such as the extension of smallholder crop farming and
commercial farming into the original Maasai grazing rangelands
What used to be a unified, extensive land-use system started to fragment into
different forms of competing land use, including rain-fed and irrigated
agriculture, as well as wildlife tourism in the newly established national
reserves and parks. As a rule, the land with highest potential and the most
water was progressively made inaccessible to the pastoral livestock economy.
There is conflict of interest whereby grazing livestock in the game areas is not
allowed, but pastoral land is not protected from encroachment by wild animals.
Marauding animals are a permanent threat to human life and to herds, as they
compete for available grass during the dry season.
There is conflict of interest whereby grazing livestock in the game areas is not
allowed, but pastoral land is not protected from encroachment by wild animals.
Marauding animals are a permanent threat to human life and to herds, as they
compete for available grass during the dry season.
Similar changes in land-tenure practices by post-colonial East African
governments--such as the privatization of commonly held lands in an effort to
provide the infrastructure for greater economic development--have often had
the effect of widening wealth disparities, as those who were marginally better
off before prospered, while the less well-to-do lost the advantages they had
enjoyed under the common-property system (Blaikie and Brookfield 1987:207).
Privatisation of land tenure, in particular, reinforced the market principle and
gave rise to widespread land transfers and sales. Migrant populations into
Maasailand have grown very fast and are approaching the size of the
indigenous Maasai population.
This is of high concern to the indigenous community since it means that in the
near future, they may not be able to elect their own legislative representatives
as already being experienced in some regions.
Inappropriate land tenure policies, Land Board wrought in sectarian and poor
leadership, deepened poverty and lack of capacity and resources to develop the
rangelands mainly due to marginalisation have been blamed for the land
speculation phenomena that have brought about the in-migrant factor.
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Design.
c. Insufficient Government Support for Protection & Development for

the Pastoralism Sector
This need has been precipitated by reducing pasture land size for nomadic
pastoralism, through forced and policy driven alienation since colonial times,
land sales by frustrated pastoralists, recurrent droughts, increased poverty in
the target community, diminishing water resources due to livestock and human
population pressures, withdrawn government support for veterinary extension
services, lack of government protection and support for the development of the
ASAL rangelands.
Despite decades of pastoral development programmes and a plethora of
policies designed to improve their livelihoods, the majority of pastoral people
still face a degree of marginalisation and poverty that is disproportionate to
that experienced by other groups in East and the rest of Africa [1]. Three factors
are attributed to this situation.
Firstly, because the Maasai live in drought-prone areas where resources are
scarce and unstable, their production systems are inherently vulnerable. They
have developed complex mitigation strategies not easily understood by
outsiders.
In most cases, both in Kenya and Tanzania, the government policy makers,
drafters or implementer staff at the district and divisional levels come from
other communities other than Maasai.
Secondly, since colonial times the communitys vulnerability and poverty has
been exacerbated by inappropriate top-down policies and development
interventions that have systematically undermined their institutions and
strategies for responding to environmental adversity.
Initial literature review shows that in both countries, pastoralism has, since
before independence lacked support from government, and has rarely, if ever,
benefited from institutional frameworks explicitly designed to promote it as a
viable land use and livelihood system.
In the past, there was good livestock production in most parts of Kajiado and
Longido districts, which was attributed to availability of water and pasture.
Heavy rains were experienced in 1945 to 1960 and these were better times for
the Maasai pastoralists.
Whereas since the early 60s and the 70s the community enjoyed visible
government veterinary extension services, these services virtually came to an
end in the early 1980s with the increase in human and bovine populations that
now make existence of any such services invincible.
In early 1980s,
government policy in Kenya and in the late 1970s in Tanzania on veterinary
service provision changed. Both governments now only provided support in the
vaccination campaign for foot and mouth disease (FMD) unlike before when
they supported wide ranging dipping and veterinary services for the
pastoralists.
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Design.
Few livestock extension officers in both Kajiado and Longido but they are
hampered by logistical and poor mobility problems due to lack of adequate
government resources, especially transport in the rough ASAL terrains despite
large livestock populations leading to high demand for veterinary services.
Whereas the government concentrated on industrial and agricultural
development testified by the numerous Parastatals purposely created to
spearhead these sectors, very few livestock development and marketing such
bodies were created. Even so, the few institutions that were meant for
livestock development mostly benefited organized and structured, well financed
ranching companies and agriculture oriented farmers living out the peasant
pastoralists all together.
In Kenya for example, such institutions like the dairy board of Kenya, the
agricultural development corporation (ADC), the agriculture finance corporation
(AFC) rarely assist the pastoralist. The AFC and Kenya meat commission (KMC)
that significantly benefited the pastoralists have been inactive for decades due
to corruption among government officials until as late as 2005 when they were
revived by the current government. Significant impact on the community by
these intuitions will probably take the next 5-10 years to be felt.
Until 2003 when the Kenyan Government created a Livestock and Fisheries
Development Ministry, there was none in the entire region. Only Tanzania has a
rangeland policy but even so, traditional Maasai grazing land is still violated by
large private investors who obtain government land-use permits at the expense
of the pastoralist.
As recent as 2006, the Friends of the Nairobi National Park and Kitengela Land
owners Association as still handling a land use/pastoralism rights case over
Jamii Bora Trust which bought 280 acres of land in the middle of pastoral
rangeland and wants to establish a township for current Nairobi slum dwellers.
A major shift in production systems is seeing the replacement of indigenous
livestock with the exotic breeds yet these varieties, are predisposed to diseases
and require more care in terms of labour and health.
The pastoralists have been pushed to the edge mostly in the harsher lowland.
In Northern Kajiado particularly Keekonyokie south nomadism is almost absent
or fading away.
The marketing system for livestock products in the Maasai areas is generally
poor. There is almost no ready market for the livestock and their products and
the situation is worse during drought
Exploitation by middlemen who are mainly outsiders as a major problem
controlling livestock prices.
The Kajiado District livestock production officer (DLPO) suggested the creation
of a livestock marketing cooperatives to control livestock marketing and to
increase their bargaining power.
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Design.
d. Poor Governance & Leadership

Leadership as a factor shaping livelihood has been linked to three main issues
including representation of the communitys needs and aspirations at policy
and local level, decision making at all levels and prevention of the negative
impacts of corruption by those who control access to resources.
In general, the community feels that low access to representation or poor
voice in local and national government has increased their vulnerability and
that of certain social groups within the community in terms of resource
allocation and addressing priorities.
Poor leadership and governance is said to be strongly reflected in the poor
management of policy and development issues in such critical areas as land,
education, local government administration, politics and national development
agenda and resources allocation.
For the most part, the community felt that their priority needs of good
governance: representation, participation, fairness and transparency are not
being fulfilled.
The main root causes of poor governance were pointed out as;
(1) Inappropriate land policies especially those on tenure and use that have
historically marginalised the Maasai,
(2) Lack of transparency and accountability, corruption and non-representation
and ineffective functioning of local government, and
(3) Customs and traditions that do not give a voice to women and other
powerless social groups.
e. Poor Socio-Economic Development & Planning
High mobility of the pastoralists and the colonial perspectives of the Maasai did
contribute a lot to the neglect of the Maasai community as far as development
of educational, health, water, roads and other socio-economic development
infrastructure in areas occupied by the community.
Even after independence, Poor socio-economic development and planning has
resulted in; inadequate health, water, education transport, and communication,
infrastructure in the ASAL areas occupied by the Maasai.
This has contributed to pastoralists selling off their livestock at a cheaper price
especially due to non-existence of livestock routes to allow them graze before
being taken to markets.
In areas such as Kiserian and Isinya with slaughterhouses, pastoralists succumb
to poor prices where weights and grading system are non-existent especially
during hard times of drought.
Earlier-on poor access by the Maasai community to education opportunities and
therefore public service employment opportunities.
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Design.
The respondents in Kajiado felt that the neglect in provision of adequate socioeconomic development services (schools, water, health centers, roads etc) is
due to a deliberate marginalization by the government as compared to decades
of concentrated development in the agricultural areas of central province and
northern rift valley.
This has often lead to unsustainable interventions for the pastoralists since they
lack capacity to fully participate in their own development efforts spearheaded
by the government.
Up to 60% of the community in some areas were reported to be illiterate and
the few that are never attain high levels of education and professional
productive skills needed for local development.
Long distances to the nearest health centres and high poverty levels means
that the community is not accessing the best of health care.
Participation in formal education is a function both of supply and demand. The
challenges in providing schooling in remote rural areas include; lack of or poor
education infrastructure; lack of demonstrable benefits of education to
pastoralism; labour requirements of herding; transhumant settlement patterns;
relatively high (and increasing) school fees; low population densities; and, the
reluctance of teachers to live in relatively isolated areas
The issues of poor performance at primary level, low continuity and retention in
schools for pupils and particularly girls among the Maasai which is still
prevalent are of great concern.
It is also important to note the gender imbalance in completed primary and
secondary school education in both countries, with far fewer women than men
having attended school and completed each of the levels.
f. Increased Human & Bovine Populations
Increased human and bovine population pressures resulting in overwhelming
land degradation, overgrazing, and overexploitation of natural resources and
generalized poverty.
Anthropogenic activities such as the extension of smallholder crop farming and
commercial farming into the original Maasai grazing rangelands, and human
and bovine population pressures have aggressively encroached on the
rangeland pastures and water sources on which pastoralism thrived on.
Increase in human and livestock populations have lowered the carrying capacity
of the land, increased soil erosion and lowered rangeland production and put
more pressure on the land.
An area that has clearly caused much conflict, resentment and discontent in
the community is the triangle of wildlife, pastoralism and commercialisation of
the rangelands.
According to many people interviewed, these three take up largely competing
resources. In each area, there is much at stake: for pastoralists, pastoralism is
15
Design.
their way of life and livelihood. For the government and conservationists,
wildlife is a significant source of income and for large scale flower farmers,
farming is very profitable.
The balance of power is not felt to be equal, with pastoralists feeling like they
lack power compared to the central government, and to the outsiders coming in
to purchase large tracts of land (because of the corruption in land acquisition
and deepened poverty among the pastoralists).
g. Increased Conflicts Over Declining Resources
Increased human-human and human-wildlife conflicts over the now declining
resources and resource bases is evident in both countries.
In Kitengela, respondents said in the past, there were large tracks of land that
supported livestock keeping system.
Today, land has reduced due to the rampant land selling and fraud, and
evolution of other land use systems such as industries (flower farms), mining
(Gypsum) and permanent human settlements along Kitengela, Kisaju and Isinya
areas.
The reducing land size has led to frequent conflict over natural resources
especially water and pasture between pastoralists and in-migrant residents.
The individual ownership of land and fencing to allow permanent housing has
denied pastoralists free grazing land for their livestock. Fencing off land which
has never been developed for many years thus restraining access for pasture.
They instead graze their livestock along major highways leading to both risk of
human and livestock death through traffic related accidents.
2.4.
Analysis of the Natural Factors
a. Frequent Droughts
This is a natural phenomenon which people have no ability to control but its
impact will vary depending on level of preparedness & mitigation measures put
in place by government, the community and each individual household.
The respondents said that in the past, drought occurred at intervals of ten years
thus the community could recover again and re-stock after a devastating
drought. However, the opposite is true today.
Drought cycles are more frequent at intervals of about two years and the
effects are more intensive making the pastoralists even more vulnerable since
their livelihood and production system wholly depend on rain for the
development of pasture and supply of water for both domestic and livestock
use.
Drought and its negative socio-economic impacts on the Maasai pastoralist
community are among the most significant factors contributing to decline in the
quality of life of the community.
16
Design.
Pastoralists are the most vulnerable and the when it comes to drought because
their livelihood and production system wholly depend on rain for the
development of pasture and supply of water for both domestic and livestock
use. The phenomenon is one of the most significant factors contributing to
decline in the quality of life of the Maasai pastoralist community.
Whole family units are affected but especially those not able to move. Drought
results in the drying up of pasture land, water resources, susceptibility of
livestock to diseases, poor stock quality, extremely low livestock prices, .
Drought forces some members of the family to migrate with livestock in search
of pasture and water living behind women, children and old people who
experience severe nutrition problems and food shortage.
The youth and women are particularly affected due to the nature of their role in
cattle-keeping and care of the household. Women spend up to two days looking
for water for domestic use meaning it interferes with other productive activities.
Women usually have to fetch water in risky situation due to veracious wild
animals and other risks of physical injury since water during drought is normally
available in rock creeks, deeply excavated earth holes etc.
This causes acute shortages of traditional food milk, blood and meat for
family members left behind (mainly children and women), leading to
widespread under nutrition and high rates of malnutrition. School-age children
drop out of school to care for the livestock which, for the majority is their only
source of livelihood.
When water is scarce, water sources are shared by both the people and their
livestock resulting in water contamination and spread of water-borne diseases.
Drought often increases water-borne diseases as well as the increase in such
diseases microbes that strive in less-water and unclean environments as
trachoma, rabies and skin conditions.
During drought, cattle will be very
susceptible to diseases due to emaciation, leading to many cattle deaths and
the reduction of herd size.
Livestock prices are at their lowest due to the poor body condition of stock
cattle sell for as little as Kshs 500 to 3000 compared to 15,000 to 20,000 at the
peak of the pasture season for steers and bulls respectively. Milk yields are
near zero, affecting both diet and income from milk sales.
According to a 1999 UNDP Disaster Preparedness Report, rain failure in the
ASALs (Including Kajiado) has occurred five times during the last 20 years, in
the following periods: 1976-78, 1982-84, 1992-94, 1996-97 and 2000. Even
though floods have become less frequent, the 1997 short rain season in Kenya
saw some of the most intense rainfall in 40 years The UNDP report shows that
the ASAL districts experienced floods in 1970, 1974, 1984, 1991 and 1992, plus
more severe floods in 1997 and 1998. Four or five times in a decade drought
and/or heavy rainfall, but usually drought, are likely to cause increased
morbidity and mortality rates among people and livestock in the ASALs 1. This
1
UNDP Kenya: Disaster Preparedness, Prevention, Mitigation and Management Project, 1999.
17
Design.
situation has been repeated in the 2004-2005 droughts and this trend is bound
to happen again in 2 -3 years.
Failure of the last two rain seasons (short and long rains in 2004/2005) and poor
performance of rains in 2003/4 have led to a deteriorating situation on the
ground, with current threat not only to livelihood but also to food security and
even life itself.
With increased livestock and human populations in Maasai land, water and
pasture for the livestock are very critical resources and their diminished
volumes or unavailability significantly affects both the health and quality of the
livestock as well as the communitys food security, economic wellbeing, health
and sanitation and nutrition.
b. Harsh ASAL Environment
The highly harsh ASAL terrain coupled with poor performing economies have
consistently lagged behind as the regions governments invest in priority
overall public development projects.
These priority projects are mainly concentrated in urban areas, major economic
development corridors without much emphasis on the rural areas.
Often it was reported that human life has been lost due to the effects of
drought, wild animals and lack of nearby health services.
On average, about 70% of the resident population are about 20 kms-80 km
from the nearest health centre. Children have to travel 5 -10 km to and from
school on foot daily and less than 10% have access to adequate clean water.
Many families are decades away from piped water and many more decades
from electricity.
During the rainy seasons villages are completely cut off from the nearest urban
centres due to very poor earth roads.
c. Emergence Of Persistent & Fatal Epidemics

Resistant Malaria
In both Longido and Kajiado, Malaria affects a larger percentage of the
population than both HIV/AIDS and TB.
Malaria has been a long standing tropical disease that has continually affected
the poor population. The district medical officers of health reported that the
annual average malaria prevalence is as high as 28% and has contributed to a
lot of health and economic stress in the community.
The Kajiado annual malaria morbidity report for 2004 for instance reported
1038 malaria cases. During the long and short rains, the community
18
Design.
experiences high levels of malaria infections and often with fatalities in remote
villages.
HIV/AIDS & TB
Though a relatively new epidemic, HIV/AIDS prevalence and socio-economic
impacts are high in the region.
The targeted districts have an average of 9%. This is high given that any rates
above 2% of the population are considered epidemics according to the WHO.
The high prevalence of HIV has been linked to similar increased occurrence of
TB even among populations not infected by the HIV virus.
TB is the biggest opportunistic infection affecting people living with the HIV
virus (PLWHAs).
Since it is airborne, the disease is making a major comeback affecting prone
community members with little resistance due to poor nutrition and hygienic
conditions associated with high levels of poverty.
The Kajiado rate is 2% above the Kenya national average of 7% per the 2004
prevalence surveillance report by the district Health offices.
The high rates of infections are attributed to the Influx of immigrants and
visitors especially given that the great north road passes right through the
middle of both districts, high poverty levels, risky cultural practices such as
polygamy, forced early marriages of young girls to old men, and proximity to
international highways like the great north road that cuts across Longido and
Kajiado right in the middle and along all the major and significant urban
centers.
Other factors attributed to this situation include the commercial flower farms
near Kitengela/Isinya areas of Kajiado, livestock trading that at times take away
men from home for months, the communitys cultural practices of polygamy,
girl-friend/wife sharing among age mates and traditional ceremonies that
encourage risky sexual encounters.
19
Design.
3.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The solution to the myriad of problems facing the Maasai pastoralists lies in
addressing a number of policy, livelihood factors and practical needs and
situations currently putting their livelihoods at risk, increasing poverty and
making them vulnerable to both socio-economic and natural threats, shocks
and disasters.
The key policy and development areas that need addressing include those on
land property rights, pastoralism as an economic and livelihood strategy,
capacity building in key and diversified livelihood skills, conservation and
tourism, and increased access to core social services.
Clear recommendations and solutions from the assessment include the
following;
3.1.
Socio-economic Issues
a. Alienation of traditional land and by extension land resources

i. Recognition of the Maasai land rights and greater access to communal trust
lands (dealing effectively with corruption in acquisition of land)
ii. Review of existing land, conservation and tourism polices to become Maasai
community friendly and with a view to protect the tenure and use of
rangelands and land originally belonging to the Maasai but was alienated
and now held as community trust land or national conservation areas
iii. development of policies that take into consideration
communitys participation, input and aspirations,
the
affected
iv. Adequate compensation from the conservation areas revenue, at least 50%
of the revenue should go back to the local community and 50% to central
government for national development.
v. Sustained civic education on land laws, rights, value and sustainable
investments and use, with the aim of changing community attitudes about
the value of land and reducing land selling to land leasing as a better
alternative
b. Inappropriate land tenure and use policies for the rangelands
i. Development and implementation of a rangeland tenure and use policies in
Kenya and review of the same in Tanzania to give more protection and
benefits to the pastoralists.
ii. Adoption of affirmative action by the two governments for the development
of the marginalized ASALs and the pastoralists economy,
iii. Capacity building and Creation of Awareness among community members
on the various Land Acts e.g. the Village Land Act, 1999 (TZ), Land Act
Cap103 (KE)
20
Design.
iv. The land policy should outlaw misuse of discretion by leaders to allocate
land outside the procedures approved.
v. Build capacity of the community on and advocate against land sales for
speculative and other purposes and instead encourage land leasing as a
viable land economics and income generating alternatives for the poor
pastoralists.
vi. Facilitate the formation of land lobby groups to ensure that the land boards
are legally and transparently constituted at the local level, have the interest
of the indigenous community at heart and are efficient and effective in tier
work.
vii. Sustainable development and exploitation of natural rangeland resources
including; tree and high value plants cropping, various minerals, building
sand,
viii.
Research into and development of high value plants that
do well in the rangelands e.g. Aloe Vera, Neem, Jatropha, Curcas, olive, etc
c. Inadequate support for, protection and development for the
pastoralism sector,
i. Strong and sustained support for the livestock and livestock products
production and marketing including capacity building for increasing market
access for livestock and livestock products
ii. Support the formation and development of pastoralist interest groups,
community based organizations, trusts, conservancies, associations and
cooperatives to strengthen their resource base as well as bargaining power
in the marketing of livestock and other rangeland products.
iii. Further strengthening of existing institutions through institutional
development will help bridge and reduce the mushrooming of middlemen
who exploit ignorant pastoralists especially on access to markets for their
livestock and other products.
iv. Support the introduction of adaptable livestock and new livestock species
that are better producers of beef, mutton and milk in the face of declining
water and pasture resources. New livestock include; camels, ostrich, bees
and certain other wildlife that can be maintained within community
conservancies.
v. Support sustainable livestock diseases prevention and control at the
community and district level including creation and facilitation of community
based livestock extension services
vi. Subsidies to drugs and livestock health services by health authorities
through strengthening of the District livestock Funds.
vii. Disease control and surveillance measures need to be strengthened at both
local, district and national levels. These will include provision of essential
vaccination and by-laws for the sectors to contain various diseases.
21
Design.
viii.
support initiatives seeking to establish outlets for quality
drugs and information in the interior/remote parts of the district
ix. The respondents observed that their capacity on drug handling and market
dynamics needs to be built to avoid the issue and use of fake drugs and also
learn about correct measurement of dozes.
x. The community felt that they require extension services especially now that
many are shifting from large stock to small intensive production units as
land continues to decrease. They suggested that they be trained on
intensive livestock keeping as the system encourages and capitalizes on
small units.
xi. Urge the Kenya government to re-open the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC)
to help the pastoralist to off take their animals in times of droughts
xii. The livestock market information systems need to be strengthened and
community awareness especially on prices, weights and grading system
improved.
d. Poor governance and Leadership

i. Adequate and participatory involvement of the community in the
development of appropriate policies, local institutions and initiatives and
programmes that affect their livelihoods on a daily basis,
ii. Increased participation and representation of the community in local, district
and national governance and support of community social groups with low
representation in governance
iii. Strengthening governance and leadership practice in the communitys
political, civic and development institutions through training and civic
education.
iv. Mobilization of and capacity building of the community in governance and
leadership to increase balanced self development. this is to be facilitated by
District and local government with the assistance of development partners
v. Training / awareness raising was requested by women in both districts on
the role of women in government. This should be for all, to clarify the
reasons for quotas / what it means in practical terms / and that women can
play an equal role / so that women are aware of existing opportunity and
how to access it. This to be facilitated by the district governments and
development partners.
vi. Adult education was raised by many as a means to improve their
empowerment in terms of getting involved in governance and personal
development.
vii. Advocacy for the creation of adequate number of representative
constituencies by the governments to ensure that no particular community
22
Design.
or group of
representation
community
is
disadvantaged
in
national
viii.
Support
mechanism
and
initiatives
transparency and accountability by the leaders at all levels.
to
leadership
enhance
ix. Involve a wide range of stakeholders through advocacy at different levels to

ensure that the interests of all community members are taken into account.
x. Policies and their implementation at all levels should take into account the
unequal power distribution within the society (this is the context in which
policies should be implemented). Emphasis should be on equal participation
all levels.
e. Poor socio-economic development and planning
Diversified Livelihood options
i.
Supporting micro-credit for women and youth through community based

organizations, associations & cooperatives
ii. Prioritization of innovative and sustainable pastoralist development

initiatives and community services projects through national resources such
as the constituency development fund (CDF) in Kenya and other such
resources.
iii. Build technical skills needed to successfully initiate diversified livelihoods
and secure employment that can provide a sustainable livelihood especially
for the poor in the society and improvement of resource bases through seed
capital funding.
iv. Mobilize and build the capacity of the community resource persons and
community institutions to be able to initiate structured community actions
for sustainable sand harvesting, other mining activities and encourage
initiation of other forms of IGAs that do not degrade the environment but
may instead contribute to its conservation e.g. community-based
ecotourism, bee keeping, and commercialization of high value plants that
can do well in the rangelands etc.
v. Facilitate research into the development and sustainable exploitation of
indigenous trees and plants that can do well in the ASALs for their high
values.
vi.
Do adequate research into markets for the optional products by the

pastoralists e.g. Livestock products, Maasai Artifacts, High value plants (Aloe
Vera, Jatropha, Neem etc), and facilitate the development of these markets.
Health
vii. Reduce the distance in kilometers traveled by community members to the

next health facility from the current average of 20 kilometers to 5 kilometers
by constructing and equipping more health facilities through such national
resources as the Constituency Development fund (CDF)
23
Design.
viii.
Improve the quality health services easily accessible
the poor and marginalized
to
ix. Support the provision of mobile clinics especially in highly remote areas and
during difficult times of drought.
x. Frequent Training and retraining and support of community health workers
(human capital) to ease the problem of diseases burden in the community.
Education
xi. Affirmative action for increased access to all levels of education and public
service opportunities by the Maasai community members,
xii. The education curriculum should be flexible and take into account the
mobile lifestyle of the nature of the Maasai and other pastoralist groups.
This means that there is need to design seasonal -mobile schools so that
the pastoralist child does not loose out in times of drought
xiii.
Education benefits should be very clear and
demonstrable to pastoralism by including relevant knowledge and skills that
is immediately applicable after each level of education ( primary, secondary
and tertiary)
xiv.
Create awareness among the pastoralist community to
increase the labour benefits and requirements of herding to include basic
level of education (primary), numeracy and livestock marketing so as to
ensure everyone acquire literacy and numeracy skills at the least. This
means making herding structured and a profession.
xv. Facilitate the acquisition of productive skills and increase access to
resources and IGAs that increase the communitys levels of incomes to meet
the relatively high (and increasing) school fees requirements
xvi.
Strengthen the bursary and scholarship schemes and
adopt affirmative action policy in education for marginalized areas especially
for girls and for students from very poor families
xvii.
The government should adopt education policies that do
not further disadvantage the marginalized by significantly improving the
quality of the public schools infrastructure and giving attractive incentives
to teachers in public schools and additional benefits for schools in rural and
harsh environments to encourage quality of education, performance and
continuity in schools for pupils, especially girls.
Access to water sources

xviii.
Facilitate the much needed capacity building on
development, management and protection of water sources and water
points in the community.
24
Design.
xix.
Support rehabilitation of existing water points that have
been neglected over time and development of more boreholes, construction
adequate number of dams, water pans and pipe water to areas where such
water points cannot be done. Community participation and ownership
should be ensured in the whole process.
xx. Piped water could be commercialized at the community level so that the
proceeds can be used to manage water points, catchments areas and
maintain the water equipments.
xxi.
Establish tough policies to punish any individual or
corporate body that resort to dumping of toxic waste and materials into the
environment and or directly into water bodies that end up polluting water
sources and affecting the health of both humans and livestock
xxii. Research into and plan for macro level water development from the major
water sources e.g. from mount Kilimanjaro, lake Victoria and major rivers in
the region to ensure availability of the highly priced commodity in the
future for the increasing human and livestock populations
xxiii.
Ensure new water development projects are responsive to
the needs and aspirations of the of the local community through
community involvement and sustainable management of the same.
xxiv.
Sand harvesting along the rivers is very common as a way
earning a lively hood, and this should also be checked to prevent rivers
from drying up.
xxv. Water authorities in both countries should make very stringent water
development, use and management policies to curtail the over exploitation
of water resources and selfish actions of the rich and powerful e.g.
diversion to irrigate their flower farms and other commercial uses.
f. Increased human and bovine population pressures & conflicts over

the now declining resources and resource bases.
i.
Any initiative must be negotiated with the whole community using
communal mechanisms for resolving disputes that arise. In addition,
appropriate incentives are needed to establish fair, negotiated, profits in
recompense.
ii.
Increase awareness among community members on the need to ensure

early registration of births and how to access national social benefits
iii.
Facilitate capacity building and Advocate for the adoption of structured and
strategic planning by local authorities and central government in
participation
with
NGOs
through
demographic/resource
surveys,
development progress appraisals forums and participatory development
policy making
25
Design.
iv.
Capacity building and Awareness creation on reproductive health and

family planning as necessary in the targeted programme areas
v.
Undertake livestock census surveys to

and plan effectively and efficiently on
services and encourage initiation of
projects by the community as a way
among community members
determine exact bovine population

veterinary and livestock extension
Para-vet based
enterprises and
of facilitating diversified livelihood
vi. build community capacity and Advocate for the adoption of effective and
efficient land carrying capacity and livestock production improvement in
the target community
vii. Harmonization of confusing and conflicting laws and policies (especially
those on wildlife and land
viii. To ensure that tourism benefits the local economy and that local
communities do not lose out in conflict over resources, it is necessary to
establish collective resource ownership and clear land rights. Furthermore
the community must understand these rights and be able to use them,
which mean legislative change to support grassroots and local initiatives.
ix. Facilitate peaceful co-existence between the Maasai and the in-migrant
communities through advocacy for leadership and governance balance,
equitable resource allocation and utilization, and peace promotion forums
x.
Create more awareness on the effects of

environmental degradation and over exploitation
long-term
impact
of
xi. Increase the number of forest and wildlife government extension staff and
increase operations budget to enable these staff effectively monitor and
evaluate environmental safety and curtail degrading practices
xii. Balancing of emphasis between agricultural and pastoralism production
and allocation of development and public resources accordingly by the
governments and development partners
xiii. Creation of more water points and Protection of existing natural springs and
construction of water pans / dams to contain conflict in the area and
immediate capacity building on water management for existing water
sources.
xiv. The government should provide incentives to value wildlife directly both
near parks and far beyond instead of seeing it as an obstacle to their
livelihoods.
3.2.
Natural Factors
a. Frequency in droughts occurrence

i.
Building community capacity on drought cycle management including the
development of national, regional and district early drought warning
26
Design.
systems and efficient and effective disaster preparedness and mitigation

institutions and initiatives,
ii.
Increasing capacity in rangeland development
iii.
Development of early drought warning systems and efficient and effective

disaster preparedness and mitigation institutions at the district,
regional/provincial and national levels
iv.
Development of sustainable water, pasture/fodder resources including

funding at national level, funds distribution and facilitation at district level
and community organization mobilization and organization at the local
level
v.
Strengthening livestock and agricultural extension Support Services in the

target communities
b. The harsh arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) environment

i.
Facilitation and support for sustainable exploitation of such rangelands
natural resources as: Pasture, Water, high value plants, Wildlife, and
Minerals.
ii.
Introduction and support for feasible environmental biodiversity

development and protection through afforestation and other environmental
conservation actions, and sustainable community-based and Eco tourism,
iii.
Development and implementation of rangeland tenure protection and land

use and management policies,
c. Emergence and persistence of fatal and livelihood threatening

diseases like malaria outbreaks, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB)
and livestock diseases.
i.
Undertake a HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria Rapid situation Analysis covering
the programme target areas
ii.
mobilize & build capacity of the beneficiary communities to ensure reduced

prevalence of HIV, TB and Malaria
iii.
Increase awareness creation, prevention and control of HIV/aids, malaria

and tuberculosis
iv.
Set up Health Clinics and procure for mobile clinics to be focal points for
the health services component of the programme in collaboration with the
Ministry of Health.
v.
Create awareness and advocacy for the Prevention of HIV, TB and Malaria
27
Design.
vi. Include VCT & PMTCT services in the Health and mobile Clinics in
collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
vii. Facilitate impact mitigation on PLWHAs and children orphaned and made
vulnerable by HIV/AIDS through HBC and livelihood support
viii. Provide referral services to facilitate access to additional HIV/AIDS support
services
ix. Hold monitoring and programme review meeting to evaluate programme
progress
x.
Support HIV/AIDS related projects including home-based care services;

HIV/AIDS radio programmes and purchase of quality condoms to be
distributed among the pastoralists to fight the pandemic.
28
Design.
4.
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED PROGRAMME DESIGN
The overall recommended solution strategies for the above priority community needs are summarised in the following
table.
livelihood
Factors
Category
Main
Livelihood
Factors
1. SocioEconom
ic
factors
i. Marginalizat
ion through
exclusion of
the Maasai
from their
original
grazing
lands and
related
resources
Priority
current
livelihood
Needs due to
main
livelihood
factors
i. Poor/unsupp
ortive Legal
Environment
Viable Solutions
ii. Poor
Rangeland
protection,
Developmen
t and
managemen
t
Recognition of the Maasai land rights and greater access to communal trust
lands (dealing effectively with corruption in acquisition of land)
Adequate and participatory involvement of the community in the development
of appropriate policies, local institutions and initiatives that affect their
livelihoods on a daily basis,
Review and Harmonization of existing land, conservation and tourism polices to
become Maasai community friendly and with a view to protect the tenure and
use of rangelands and land originally belonging to the Maasai but now held as
community trust land or national conservation areas
Adoption of laws and policies aimed at prohibiting further subdivision of
rangelands in to smaller parcels of less than 40 hectares as well as outlawing
other economic activities in the rangelands other than those suited or
compatible with pastoralism/ranching.
Prioritization of innovative and sustainable pastoralist development initiatives
and community services projects through resources from the Constituency
Development Fund (CDF) and other such resources.
Research into and development of high value plants that do well in the
rangelands e.g. Aloe Vera, Neem, Jatropha, Curcas, olive, etc
29
SKI-EA: Kajiado-Longido Needs Assessment Report & Proposed Programme Design.
iii. Inadequate
Financial
resources
ii. Neglect of
the
Pastoralism
sector by
successive
independent
administrati
ons
iv. Poor
Livestock
Developmen
t and
Marketing
v. Idleness/une
mployment
vi. Food
Insecurity
iii. Poor
developmen
t of critical
socioeconomic
developmen
vii. Inadequat
e Finances
Creation of more employment and economic opportunities through Sustainable

development and exploitation of natural rangeland resources including; tree and
high value plants, various minerals, building sand etc.
Supporting development of quality livestock and increased access to livestock
markets for the target communities
Supporting micro-enterprise development and micro-credit for women and
youth through community based organizations, associations & cooperatives
Supporting access to high education and acquisition of highly demanded
technical and professional skills
Strengthened community and District community livestock development and
production efforts and extension services
Strengthened community and District community livestock disease prevention
and control efforts and initiatives so as to create disease-free zones
Increased market access and strong linkages for livestock and livestock products
through pastoralists groups, CBOs, Associations, trusts and companies.
Facilitate employment creation through productive skills training for the youth
and women in livelihood options viable in the ASAL rangelands,
Increase capacity and micro-credit resources for the development of livestock,
rangeland and ASAL products and services.
Prioritization of innovative and sustainable pastoralist development initiatives
and community projects through national resources such as the constituency
development fund (CDF) in Kenya and other such sources.
Building capacity for increasing access to livestock and livestock products
markets,
Building capacity for and Initiation of diversified livelihood IGAS viable in the
ASAL rangelands
Undertake research into traditional and modern food preservation techniques to
sustain adequate nutrition in times of drought
Supporting micro-credit for women and youth through community based
organizations, associations & cooperatives
research, Sustainable development and exploitation of natural rangeland
resources including various minerals, building sand,
increasing access to quality education by Maasai children and young people at
all levels but especially at the tertiary level
30
t
infrastructur
e and
capacity
and
increase in
both human
and animal
populations
without
marching
developmen
t
infrastructur
e.
iv. Poor
leadership
and
governance
viii. Indiscrimi
nate Land
Sales
ix. increased
corruption,
Poor
representati
on and
governance
at all levels
Reduce generalized poverty through capacity building and provision of

rangeland, livestock and micro-enterprises development funding to peasant
pastoralists and farmers.
Change community attitudes about the value of land and promote land leasing
as a better alternative through relevant advocacy and training.
Advocate for land leasing as sustainable alternative to land selling
Increased participation and representation of the community in local, district

and national governance and support of community social groups with low
representation in governance
Sustained civic education on land laws, rights, value and sustainable
investments.
Support legal, policy and recognition efforts to outlaw and punish corrupt
tendencies by those in leadership and governance position and encourage
transparency and accountability efforts by public servants and those in
leadership.
31
2. Natur
al
factor
s
i.
Recurrent
Droughts
i.
ii.
ii.
Harsh
ASAL
terrain
iii. Occurrence
of
Prevalence
of Disease
epidemics
and other
natural
Disasters
i.
ii.
Inadequat
e pasture
and water
for
sustainabl
e livestock
production
Inadequat
e water for
domestic
use (see
2.xii
below)
Inadequat
e safe
water for
domestic
and
livestock
use
Resistant
Malaria
iii. HIV/AIDS &

TB
Adequate capacity in drought cycle and Rangeland management

Existence and mass use of drought early warning system (DEWS) at the
National/district and community level
Adequate drought preparedness and mitigation action plans at the
National/district and community level
Development of more water points including; earth dams and pans, digging of
boreholes, rehabilitation and protection of natural springs and rain water
harvesting
Structured training and Technical capacity building of a few community water
technicians to sustain the water points
Linking the local water points and systems to the national water development
efforts and systems.
Increased capacity in drought cycle management and water development and
management in the ASALs
Adequate number of appropriate and sustainable water points in the target
community areas
Adoption of affirmative action in sustainable water development by the two
governments in the marginalized ASALs.
Adequate malaria prevention and control awareness at the community level.
Availability of effective and affordable anti-malaria preventive and curative
drugs and nets at the community level
Reduced average distances in kilometres to the nearest public health facilities
Localized HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis needs assessment and capacity building
curriculum development
Adequate prevention, care and support capacity building at the local level
Increased HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis prevention and control awareness though
house-to house and village to village advocacy
Increased and sustainable HIV/AIDS impacts mitigation initiatives at the
community level especially for the care and support of PLWHA and OVC.
32
5.
APPENDICES: QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND CLARIFICATIONS BY PARTNERS

LONGIDO-KAJIADO NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND PROJECT DESIGN PRESENTATION MEETING, SILVER
SPRINGS HOTEL, NAIROBI
Thursday, September 7, 2006
QUESTIONS, AND CLARIFICATIONS ON NEEDS ASSESSMENT

1. How are the needs related to the proposed approach?
The needs assessment report has identified thirteen (13) priority needs identified by the community and ten (10)
main root causal factors that have created the current situation. The consultant has proposed a programme design
that should specifically and directly address these root factors and other emerging issues including those needs that
are indeed critical but not highly rated by the community. Such needs/issues include gender disparities and
prevalence of HIV/AIDS as shown below.
2. Gender disparity- Why is the glaring gender disparities in Maasai land not explicit in the Needs
Assessment?
3. The needs assessment is appears not to be explicit on the following three areas:
Gender disparities as a developmental issue affecting the target communities
HIV & AIDS is a major problem facing communities in both districts
Skills development for the target groups in the communities
These issues are not mentioned as priorities by the respondents interviewed. How has the consultant
incorporated these issues in the final programme design?
It was noted that the above issues were not expressly prioritized as top needs by the community respondents but
largely mentioned. The reasons for this trend were mentioned as high stigma about HIV/AIDS in the community,
male dominance in the Community including the assessment meetings and disempowerment of women such that
they do not voice this strongly.
The gender disparity is apparent in all socio-economic aspects and were noted as forming the bulk of the needs
under priority need number 12 in Kajiado and 11 in Longido labeled retrogressive cultural practices. Such
33
gender issues include; skewed education and thereby employment and other economic opportunities for boys
and girls in favour of boys, denial of property inheritance for girls, skewed household responsibilities against
women, forced marriages for young girls, female genital mutilation, household decision-making mainly by men
e.g. when deciding to sell family land etc. such imbalances greatly affect general and specific development in
the community.
The report recommends capacity building for women and youth groups, increased access to education and
economic opportunities for girls and women through scholarships and micro-credit schemes, advocacy for the
recognition of children, girls and women rights and outlawing of FGM and forced marriages. It also recommends
adoption of actions to promote and strengthen property ownership by women and involvement in critical family
decision making such as when to sell or not sell land.
The consultant has highlighted the plight of the target community and the strong HIV/AIDS infection risk factors
e.g. close proximity to the great north road that cuts across both districts. he has recommended elaborate
actions in the proposed programme to address this issue including; increased awareness creation, mobile VCT
clinics, training of community resource persons, care and support for children made orphans and destitute by the
scourge and home-based care for people living with the virus.
4. National Parks how do the Kenyan and Tanzanian governments shares the resources with
communities?
What came out clearly and strongly is that though conservation policies in both countries have created huge
conservation areas from former Maasai traditional grazing lands in the form of Ngorongoro conservation area and
the Serengeti in Tanzania and Amboseli and the Maasai Mara in Kenya among other smaller parks, they have not
commensurately and adequately benefited the local communities through socio-economic development
infrastructure, jobs and user rights in times of drought. The result is very poor health, education, road and
communication infrastructure even compared with other regions in both countries that do not generate such
huge resources through tourism.
The feeling of both the respondents and programme partners is that there is need to create advocacy for the
correction of this imbalances at the community, district and national levels without necessarily politicizing the
issues. It was pointed out that SKI, MAAP, and LOCIP need to partner with bigger networks e.g. the land Alliance
in Kenya, the Pastoralists Parliamentary group, the Pastoralist Week etc to highlight the plight of the community
and get international support for correction of this anomaly.
34
5. How does the present governments and regional (EAC) policies address some of the challenges
faced by the communities in the two districts e.g. introduction of the CDF, ASAL programme
support, HIV & AIDS policies, proposed construction of Athi River - Namanga - Arusha road?
Though the scope of the needs Assessment did not adequately allow for an analysis of the above issues, the
consultant has proposed actions and initiatives meant to take advantage of the emerging development policies
and issues in the east African region. In Kenya, the report proposes creation of community awareness on their
right to such devolved public funds as the CDF and building of their capacity to be able to take advantage and
well as manage financial resources provided by such funds.
It also proposes linking of SKI/MAAP/LOCIP initiatives to national programmes as a sustainability and exit strategy.
The report further proposes stronger representation and capacity building of elected and appointed community
leaders on governance and leadership so as to influence and increase community benefit from these policies and
resources.
COMMENTS AND CLARIFICATIONS ON PROPOSED PROGRAMME APPROACH
Additionally, the following comments were made by the partners during the presentation.
arranged them so as to match and add value to the findings of the needs assessment report
PARTNERS COMMENTS
CONSULTANT COMMENTS
ASSESSMENT REPORT
The consultant has
BASED
ON
THE
NEED
Assessment Findings highlights

1. Main difference in the Needs Assessment findings
between Kajiado and Longido are the right to own land in
Kenya while not very clear in Tanzania and the higher
education levels in Kenya as opposed to the situation in
Tanzania
2. The support to the livestock sub-sector by the
government has generally has gone down over the years,
for instance, the trained veterinary and extension officers
are no longer posted by the government
3. There is Need for sensitization on environmental
conservation, especially afforestation to reduce droughts
and to curtail Increased abuse and misuse of naturals
resource (forests in particular) in Maasai land need to be
This is clearly presented in the assessment report.. Land

laws in TZ are rapidly evolving and numerous. The report
proposes harmonization of these laws and policies
The report noted this trend and recommended advocating

for the regions governments to adopt affirmative action for
the marginalized ASAL rangelands and pastoralism sector
As a way of mitigating increased pressure on natural

resources and reducing human-human and human-wildlife
conflicts, the report recommended adoption of initiatives to
conserve and sustainably exploit natural resources in the
35
addressed.
4. The approach levels should be at local, district, national

and regional; such as on issues of advocacy for rights .
The Proposed approach is a way of fighting corruption
The Proposed approach is a way of fighting corruption
Partnership
5. There is need to explore ways of widening the
partnerships and collaboration on issues highlighted by
the Needs Assessment, especially on the need for
advocacy in order to make more impact. Partnership
should also be enhanced horizontally and vertically
between SKI/MAAP/LOCIP and other organizations as well
as seek support from donors such as UNEP.
6. Speed of implementation once agreed on the proposed
Project Design, there is need to move with speed in
implementing the same
rangeland including research into how best this can be

done.
It was noted that the entire proposed programme needs to
be approached at three levels across the board.
It was agreed that MAAP and LOCIP to sign memorandum

of understanding with SKI as soon as possible and that
each grassroot partner to pick specific action areas from
the Assessment findings and develop a prioritized
proposals to be implemented over the next 6 years.
The partners should start with what is top priority in each

community as well as what they already have experience
on but lack financial resources- assuming that these
resources are immediately available.
Partnership both horizontally and vertically at all levels will
enhance achievement of proposed programme goals and
objectives.
7. Exposure visits for MAAP & LOCIP staff to enhance

knowledge base; introduce exchange visits between the
two organizations to enhance sharing of ideas on best
practice in projects
Innovations and Emerging issues
8. There is Need to professionalize certain services provided
in the communities such as shepherding; introduce
organized veterinary shops and train community own
livestock extension officers as a form of IGAs and to
support the pastoralist community
9. Globalization affecting the way of life of the Maasai

community and hence the need to adapt to the same,
e.g. there is need for example to take advantage of
modern technology e.g. mobile phones to provide
information to the community such as early warning
The report recognizes that although the traditional system

of pastoralism is no longer feasible, efforts should be made
to strongly involve the community in shaping their own
destiny while affording them the capacities and filing the
resource gaps to enable it diversify livelihood sources and
upgrade livestock production and other livelihood options
viable in the ASAL rangelands
The emerging technologies and globalization trends need
not be in conflict with the Maasai way of life. The use of
SMS, CDMA and VSAT technologies for example have the
potential of rapidly enabling achievement of some of the
proposed program objectives e.g. an SMS-based drought
early warning system and livestock market prices
information broadcasts, improved science and biology on-
36
10. Food security food preservation methods and nutrition

need to be introduced to the pastoralists
11. Introduction of rainwater harvesting methods
12. Communities need to be assisted to form community

interest groups such as on; eco-tourism, market livestock
(bi-) products such as manure, milk, cooperatives and
other related services
Policy Issues
13. There are conflicting policies and laws e.g. the Kenya
Constitution provides for the protection of the lives and
property of people, yet the wildlife protection laws appear
to supersede the lives and property of communities living
around game parks and reserves
14. Land laws versus market forces of demand and supply
hamper Maasai because of exploitation due to lack of
knowledge on value of land and resources to develop the
rangelands.
line laboratories in remote rural schools using VSAT and

CDMA to improve teaching and research by both teachers
and students .
There is need to research into both traditional as well as
modern food preservation and production in the dry lands
so that families can still enjoy good nutrition in times of
livestock movements occasioned by drought.
Given the harsh ASAL environment, there is need to
introduce as many viable water harvesting and
conservation practices as possible.
The report proposes community mobilization to form and
empower both skill wise as well as resource wise
community groups, CBOs, Associations, cooperatives and
even companies to enable the community better manage
scare resources, have bigger bargaining power
The needs assessment report proposes harmonization of
various laws and policies especially those on land tenure
and use, conservation and wildlife so as to remove
apparent conflicts in objectives and applicability
The report proposes awareness creation on the value of
land, skills building and increased access to micro-credit to
enable the pastoralists exploit their land resources and
land leasing as alternatives to land selling. This will curtail
the current selling off land and increased poverty and
assimilation of the community by in-migrant communities.
37

Kajiado-Longido-Pastoralists Needs Assessment Report

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Kajiado-Longido-Pastoralists Needs Assessment Report

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S K I L L S H A R E I N T E R N AT I O N A L

EAST AFRICA OFFICE

Root Causal Factors..................................................................................5

2.3. Analysis of the Socio-Economic Factors.................................................6

Analysis of the Natural Factors.............................................................12

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED PROGRAMME DESIGN.................................22

5. APPENDICES: QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND CLARIFICATIONS BY

Agricultural development corporation

Agriculture Finance Corporation

Acquired Immuno-deficiency Syndrome

Arid and Semi-Arid Land

Community based Organization

Code dimension multi access wireless telephony system

Drought early warning system

District livestock production officer

East African Community

foot and mouth disease

Home based Care (usually relating to AIDS patients)

Income Generation Activity

Kenya meat commission

Longido Community Integrated Programme

Prevention of mother to child transmission of the HIV virus

Short text massage

United Nations Development Programme

United Nations Environmental Programme

Voluntary Counselling and testing

Very small aperture satellite technology

World Health Organization

This report summarizes the findings of the needs assessment study

Table 1: below summarizes the categories and location of the community

L. Retrogressive cultural practices

Figure 1: Combined Kajiado-Longido Needs Analysis

Root Causal Factors

Alienation of traditional land and by extension land resources to create

Frequency in droughts occurrence and increased ecological stress caused by

Analysis of the Socio-Economic Factors

a. Alienation Of Land & Land Resources

creation of nature reserves, penetration of market forces, and population

c. Insufficient Government Support for Protection & Development for

d. Poor Governance & Leadership

Analysis of the Natural Factors

c. Emergence Of Persistent & Fatal Epidemics

a. Alienation of traditional land and by extension land resources

d. Poor governance and Leadership

ix. Involve a wide range of stakeholders through advocacy at different levels to

Supporting micro-credit for women and youth through community based

ii. Prioritization of innovative and sustainable pastoralist development

Do adequate research into markets for the optional products by the

vii. Reduce the distance in kilometers traveled by community members to the

Access to water sources

f. Increased human and bovine population pressures & conflicts over

Increase awareness among community members on the need to ensure

Capacity building and Awareness creation on reproductive health and

Undertake livestock census surveys to

determine exact bovine population

Create more awareness on the effects of

a. Frequency in droughts occurrence

systems and efficient and effective disaster preparedness and mitigation

Increasing capacity in rangeland development

Development of early drought warning systems and efficient and effective

Development of sustainable water, pasture/fodder resources including

Strengthening livestock and agricultural extension Support Services in the

b. The harsh arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) environment

Introduction and support for feasible environmental biodiversity