The government, in conjunction with World Bank, will pay 9,700 pastoralists affected by drought during the short rains season to help mitigate the effects. Livestock PS Andrew Tuimur announced the Sh175 million payout in Nairobi yesterday. The livestock cover will be paid through Takaful Insurance of Africa to help herders buy animal feed, provide water and procure animal healthcare services. It will also help move livestock to areas with better forage to cushion them against severe starvation and possible deaths. Tuimur said the Kenya Livestock Insurance Programme, pastoralists from seven counties will benefit. The counties are Marsabit, Wajir, Isiolo, Mandera, Tana River, Garissa and Samburu. The PS said the government expects to bring the 14 Asal counties under the livestock insurance scheme by the end of 2018 at a total premium cost of Sh500 million. He said in the 2017 long rains season (March-June) 55 insurance units of the 70 in six counties triggered, and Sh319 million in insurance payout claims was paid to over 11,000 beneficiaries. Tuimur said to sustain the programme, the government is starting a partial voluntary cover, where it will provide an extra one cover for every cover bought. Marsabit Governor Muhamud Abdi said drought is routine in the arid and semi-arid areas, where 90 per cent of residents rely on livestock. Right now, they face a harsh drought, and unless the community is supported, it will suffer. “Livestock is the backbone of the economy in Northeastern. We lose livestock because of drought, and this insurance is a major boost in mitigating this problem,” Abdi said. “We will partner with the government and other stakeholders in this initiative as it is a way to give leverage to the people in our counties and ensure the number of animals we lose to drought goes down.”