Livestock is the primary economic sector and source of livelihood that populations in the Kenyan Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) rely on. Yet even with decades of investment, growth remains a challenge as the sector struggles to function within a complex landscape of shocks and stresses, including climate change, droughts, floods, pests, disease, and land degradation, that in turn compromise livelihoods and productivity, and increase conflict. Despite these challenges, livestock remains vital to the food security of the ASAL communities. Finding sustainable pathways to improve the overall functioning of the livestock sector is necessary for sustained prosperity in the region.
Driven by a vision of a strengthened livestock sector flourishing within sustainably managed rangelands that conserve biodiversity, Mercy Corps and its consortium partners, FCDC and ITC, carry out the Resilient Approaches in Natural ranGeland Ecosystems (RANGE) project, together with local implementing partners. This 5-year programme is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with the aim of strengthening communities to improve sustainable economic and social development in a well-managed landscape in the three ASAL counties of Isiolo, Marsabit and Samburu. RANGE is designed to reach >500,000 (direct and indirect beneficiaries) small-scale pastoralists and agro-pastoralists, male and female, through producer associations, community structures, and women and youth groups, as well as government stakeholders, private sector actors and development partners.
RANGE proposes an integrated package of activities and interventions that aim to: a) strengthen rangeland management and encourage regenerative practices, ensuring migratory and sedentary livelihoods can peacefully co-exist; b) improve herd management and market access for small-scale producers; c) strengthen the institutions and policy frameworks that govern the livestock sector, and d) ascertain high-quality data collection and research for evidence-based programming to help project implementation and mitigate the impact of climate change while reducing rangeland degradation.Â
The research and evidence-strengthening component of the RANGE project plays a pivotal role in fostering knowledge dissemination and capacity building in the three counties. By actively training and involving local MSc and PhD students as Local Research Partners, we contribute to their academic development and enrich the project with diverse perspectives and innovative approaches. While the students’ focus is on the effective use of geo-information, this is done for pertinent (rangeland) issues, generating robust evidence that can inform policies and interventions in the project counties and ASALs in general. Moreover, the training provided to these students aims to catalyse capacity building within local government and development organisations operating in the ASALs, fostering a collaborative environment where research findings are translated into actionable strategies for sustainable development. This interconnected approach empowers the academic community and other stakeholders to actively address challenges within the ASALs. RANGE recognizes the significant foundation that previous investments, activities, and projects in the region have provided, and incorporates these learnings and successes into the programme.
The project is carried out by Mercy Corps, FCDC and the Faculty ITC of the University of Twente in the Netherlands, together with local implementing partners (IMPACT, PACIDA, SND, MID-P), with private sector partners (Holland Greentech, Savanna Circuit Technologies, Sidai Africa) and in close collaboration with the county governments of Isiolo, Marsabit, and Samburu. For research and capacity building, RANGE works together with among others DRSRS, Garissa University, ICPALD, ILRI, Jameel Observatory, Natural State, NDMA, University of Nairobi, and Save the Elephants. The Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente (ITC) is a leader in the field of spatial information sciences and Earth observation techniques, providing stakeholders with informed data to address challenges of climate change, food security, rangeland management and water scarcity, and has been active in Kenya for four decades with 600+ alumni.
