Isiolo Field Report
Climate change and drought in Kenya
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of The United States, about 20% of Kenya’s population lives in ASALs, which make up nearly 80% of the country’s land area. According to the majority of human development
metrics, the arid regions contain the counties with the highest poverty rates.
Climate change has made ecosystems more susceptible, which makes it more challenging to develop. Dairy farmers have been forced to make use of and ensure the limited resources available are utilized fully to help curb food insecurity facing the country. Isiolo district currently accounts for more than 90% of marketed camel milk reaching national urban markets.
Savanna Circuit conducted a field study in Isiolo, to explore the challenges the pastoralist farmers face and how drought and famine have affected their
source of livelihood. As Savanna, we found a way to mitigate the challenges to a more sustainable affordable and clean energy to store their milk.
Some of the challenges faced include Poor hygiene and handling of the milk contents resulting in spoilage. During transit, milk spillage was identified making the female farmers mostly suffer losses in their efforts to decent work and their economic growth.
These challenges have made Savanna come up with a sustainable solution with an improved solar-powered MaziwaPlus prechiller that acts as a distribution tank to facilitate transit between different places.