Environmentalists propose bill to address resource based conflicts in pastoral areas – Kenya News Agency

It’s a joy for pastoral communities following the introduction of a bill that is expected to address resource based conflicts in Laikipia County.

The proposed Laikipia county rangeland management bill if enacted is further expected to support pastoral communities in eradicating invasive plants like cactus that have invaded their grazing fields affecting thousands of livestock keepers.

Laikipia County which in the past had experienced perennial conflicts due to grazing fields and scarce water resources, the bill which is being drafted in accordance with the community land management Act of 2016 at the same time will help to prevent land degradation in the vast dry lands.

The rangeland management bill which has seen green light from the county executive is being sponsored by the LISTEN project in partnership with Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC) and Laikipia county government.

LISTEN is a project being implemented in the counties of Laikipia, Isiolo, and Samburu aimed to bolster food nutrition, water security and climate change adaptation of the four Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) through the nexus approach.

Speaking at a Nanyuki hotel during the rangeland management bill workshop, stakeholders in agriculture and environmental conservation said that the legislation will help in governing range lands and support pastoral communities through fodder formulation.

Ms. Peninah Kituyo, a Laikpia north resident said that with the bill, it would be easy for the community to manage their land aimed at bolstering peace in the county.

‘’With the rangeland bill, it will be easy for us to manage our land on issues of grazing and timing when to avoid land degradation, it will guide us clearly since everyone will know their boundaries aimed at reducing conflicts,” noted Kituyo.

Laikipia County Executive Committee (CECM) in charge of Agriculture and Livestock Dennis Kasoo pointed out that   the laws will at the same time guide pastoralists from neighbouring counties on the mode of grazing during dry weather which in the past had resulted in conflicts due to illegal herders.

‘’Over 80 percent of land in Laikipia is covered by rangeland and with this bill that has already been endorsed by the county cabinet, we really need it since we are heavily affected by climate change and it is important we regulate the use of our community land,” said the CEC.

FCDC Director Hussein Abdinassir that they not only target Laikipia where they were drafting a bill to conserve rangelands but other ASALs counties of Isiolo and Samburu.

‘’The bill will help in rangeland management since we are aware of the high number of pastoralists in those counties aimed at ensuring those communities get a legal framework on how to graze, reduce resource-based conflicts, land degradation  and upholding  peace,” said Abdinassir.

By Muturi Mwangi