Food For Thought On Food In Kenya

[Georgesoros]

Govt is the problem. Give monies as interest free loans and youll see wonders. Every time the govt puts hands on something it ends up overbudget and no results.  Look at the substandard healthcare being provided to Kenyans, yet money is poured into the system left and right.

Just took a look at the national budget for 2017-2018.     Some highlights:

(a) The laptops-for-toddlers: Sh. 13 billion+

(b) The entire State Department for Irrigation: Sh. 13 billion, with only about half of that going to irrigation.   

(c) Remember the Galana project?  Started something like five years ago?  A million irrigated acres to keep Kenyans fed?  Targets for the coming year: 10K acres; the year after that, 10K acres; the year after that, 10K acres.    (Yes, it's the same 10K acres ... model farm.  And, no, you may not ask where all the money has gone.)

Now for a guessing game: Imagine the near future.   Three guesses as to who will be crying about oh what terrible times,  the rains have failed, and would the international community please save us from starvation.   Only three guesses!

Or perhaps not.   Maybe the toddlers will use their new skills on Ajira, earn big bucks, and use MPESA to send a little something to hungry.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

Somalia apparently may not want to be left out of the hunger games.

U.N. aid agencies are appealing to international donors to provide money to scale up lifesaving operations in drought-stricken Ethiopia and Somalia, where millions of hungry people are at risk of death and illness.

Five years after a devastating 2011 famine killed nearly 260,000 people in Somalia, famine again is stalking that country. The worst-affected areas are in northern Puntland and Somaliland, where dozens of drought-related deaths and many illnesses already are being reported.

http://www.voanews.com/a/united-nations-agencies-boost-aid-operation-ethiopia-somalia-famine/3734031.html

[MOON Ki]

(Funny settings ... you might have to log-in to see the image.  Or perhaps someone has been deleting images that I post.)

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

(Funny settings ... you might have to log-in to see the image.  Or perhaps someone has been deleting images that I post.)

I can see it.  Which part of Kenya is that?

[MOON Ki]

I can see it.  Which part of Kenya is that?

RV.   Some Baringo place.    Hustler has just been there, peddling Jubilee achievements.   Not sure that laptops is a top concern for this lot.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

I can see it.  Which part of Kenya is that?

RV.   Some Baringo place.    Hustler has just been there, peddling Jubilee achievements.   Not sure that laptops is a top concern for this lot.

A would-be-failed tribe but thank God for the hustler they are NOT, to borrow a so-called barrister's taxonomy.

[Georgesoros]

Baringo can raise beef for the whole of Africa, but poor govt policies, or lack of have kept the region stagnant.

[hk]

Baringo can raise beef for the whole of Africa, but poor govt policies, or lack of have kept the region stagnant.

I dont know what policy is needed other than simple investment. Baringo, samburu and pokot counties main economic activity is livestock. Yet we don't have even one feedlot in the three counties. If there were just a couple of investors in each county to buy the dying animals and feed them it would have gone along way to alleviate the problem. The three counties have very wealthy people who are putting up buildings in nakuru and nairobi yet none dare invest in their own counties. I heard that marakwet is now called home of choppers. Last week a bunch of us from nyandarua were in samburu and baringo counties buying livestock to fatten in Nyandarua county,I which we had more capacity mainly fodder and land, the return might be well over 400%.
Beef in kenya is expensive in nairobi ksh.500-600, if the pastoral communities embraced modern ranching and range management they could increase output which would lower the price of beef to a level that most families can afford beef daily. Which would in turn expand the overall market.

[Empedocles]

I dont know what policy is needed other than simple investment. Baringo, samburu and pokot counties main economic activity is livestock. Yet we don't have even one feedlot in the three counties. If there were just a couple of investors in each county to buy the dying animals and feed them it would have gone along way to alleviate the problem. The three counties have very wealthy people who are putting up buildings in nakuru and nairobi yet none dare invest in their own counties. I heard that marakwet is now called home of choppers. Last week a bunch of us from nyandarua were in samburu and baringo counties buying livestock to fatten in Nyandarua county,I which we had more capacity mainly fodder and land, the return might be well over 400%.
Beef in kenya is expensive in nairobi ksh.500-600, if the pastoral communities embraced modern ranching and range management they could increase output which would lower the price of beef to a level that most families can afford beef daily. Which would in turn expand the overall market.

A couple of days ago on Reddit, there was an interesting discussion on how South Korea managed to reach superstar status in such a relatively short time. This passage was quite eyeopening:

The story of every successful East Asian Tiger began with Agriculture (Singapore has been the exception since it was a trading port). Without development of a healthy agricultural sector, it becomes very difficult to achieve Industrialisation. Micheal Lipston has noted that in the case of Latin America. The reason for this is initially, every State has to start on the development with the necessary importation of advanced machinery, Investment and sometimes even skilled labour. All of this requires hard foreign currency. Yet, how is the State to obtain this? The solution lies in Agricultural exports. The lack of development of Agriculture necessarily forces the State to import food which deteriorates balance of payments. When Latin American countries started the process of Industrialisation, they neglected to focus chiefly on obtaining self sufficiency in Agriculture. Thus when they started to move up the value chain through development of Industry, they were forced to import both machinery and food. This problem became even worse as they became richer because as soon as the income of workers increased, they started demanding more food putting even more pressure on balance of payments. This was also a problem in Socialist Yugoslavia which ended up contributing to the debt crisis of that country.

The reason for failure in their case and the big success of South Korea lay in their different approach to Agriculture. Improving agriculture generally requires two things. The first thing is land reform that re distributes land from landlords towards farmers. Lack of land reforms generally results in an agricultural sector with poor yields as the farmer lacks incentive to work hard on it primarily because much of his/her income goes towards paying of rent or interests towards landlords. The development expert, Joe Studwell has noted that in some cases around 50 percent of revenue of farmers have gone towards rents and interests leaving little for the farmer. In every East Asian country, comprehensive land reform has been absolutely necessary to kick start Agricultural growth. The State more or less forced landlords to sell land to it above the level set by it. This land were then redistributed on a far more equal basis among farmers an d workers creating an owner farmer who operated a tiny farm which was enough to sustain himself and his small family. In order to prevent land from being re monopolized by the landlords, the State prevented the buying and selling of land solely for profits. The difference here from the Socialist approach is that it does not eliminate market but structures through State intervention a very different kind of market.

However, farm land ownership is far from the only thing that is necessary towards growth. What is needed is a State policy helping farmers to farm. This involves setting up of credit facilities, Institutions specifically focused on agriculture related technology and appropriate Infrastructure in order to peacefully conduct businesses. Indeed, the Indian State of Kerala carried out the first part as per the National Land Reform Commission of India, but not the second part which explains why the State did not achieve high output despite having a relatively egalitarian distribution of income. This was arguably not as efficient as the process carries out in Japan but was a great success nonetheless. One problem was that it was carried out in patches starting from 1950's and picked up pace in 1960's and 70's. The South Korean government especially in the 1970's encouraged the formation of Cooperatives and provided it with all sorts of aid in order to share technology and continue to develop the sector further. The farmer for the first time was able to enjoy a greater share of his income stimulating him to improve production further.

This also led to a Consumption boom which was to lay the basis of the next stage and arguably the most important one in the development process - the development of Industry. Agriculture in that sense is exact opposite of manufacturing. Economies of scale does not apply and in the early stages of development it may even be counter productive to focus on profits. The focus should be on yields per hectare and you can achieve that only with small farms. A large amount of workforce (usually more than three fourths) tend to be employed in agriculture. Moreover, a healthy market tend to be developed when farmers spend their surplus income for purchasing other goods. Toyota for instance started out producing goods for largely rural population in Japan. This also helped them understanding marketing skills.

In a developing country, the key task is to start with a low value added Industry to kick start the process of Industrialisation. Just like you do not try to compete in Olympiads in programming after taking a Semester worth of Courses in C, you do not try to get to advanced Industry first. The task starts from trying to get into basic and light Industry first. The Investment into basic Industry came from savings of farmers which are to be put into the banks to be loaned out to the Industry. To understand the Industrial policy of South Korea, we need to understand the background of the country's leader of the time: Park Chung Hee. Hee was a military general who through his coup overthrew a weak and floundering government of Rhee. Park Chung Hee had served with the Japanese Imperial Army and was a keen observer of the kind of policy that was pursued by Japan during Meiji era as well as the policy pursued post World War 2. He sought to apply to it to South Korea as well. For that he needed a State agency like Japan's MITI (Ministry of Trade and Industry). The basis of bureaucratic State Capitalism lay in the lack of development of productive forces which led to a strengthening of bureaucracy and bureaucratic rule. In essence, the bureaucracy undertook developmental functions in the words of Chalmers Johnson, the American social scientist who extensively studied Japanese economic policy. In the developed West, the State was merely divided among various sectional Capitalist interests and lot of time was spent in catering to interest of this or that group. The bureaucracy thus was not independent as it had no economic basis to it create it's rule unlike in East Asia where it acquired enormous power thanks to it's ability to direct the economy through "Five Year Plans", control of credit through the banking sector and administrative guidance regardless of whether the businesses wanted it or not.

And what did we do in Kenya, which was on par with South Korea in 1963? Well, we went out on a frantic land grabbing spree, grabbing as much arable land for the Kenyattas and his henchmen.

We skipped all the lessons we could have learned from other economies and are now, as RVPundit happily tells us, leapfrogging our way straight to the services sector, do not pass agriculture or industrialization. And while at it, indebting ourselves billions on a railroad to bring in tablets from the same debtors factories to starving schoolkids. Brilliant.

In 2010, we had the chance to sort the land problem once and for all. Unfortunately, massively expanding the government and using mpesa to send 100bob to buy unga was seen as much smarter.

[hk]

Most of kenya land isn't adjudicated especially in pastoral communities which might be one of the reason why there's little investment in those areas. There's need for increased productivity in all areas of our economy, be it transport, communication, etc. The missing link in the livestock industry in kenya unlike botswana is lack of grass fed feedlots which any private company or individual can put up no government or county policy needed.  The feedlots can ensure a disease free zone which is a requirement for EU and middle east exports market. Increased productivity in agriculture will lead to processing which can be a base for industrialization.
On grabbed land, I don't necessarily support how the kenyatta acquired land however I'd disagree that subdividing land into less than 5acres makes economic sense . Mind you in nyeri other than kieni which is semi arid there's no one with land of more than 500acres except the catholic church which owns about 1000acres yet there's little in terms of productivity because of subdivision. I visited this kenyatta farm http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/tented-camps/voyager-ziwani/gicheha-ranch-tour/  if we had more farms like this, kenya would be agricultural powerhouse.

[MOON Ki]

Baringo can raise beef for the whole of Africa, but poor govt policies, or lack of have kept the region stagnant.

I dont know what policy is needed other than simple investment. Baringo, samburu and pokot counties main economic activity is livestock. Yet we don't have even one feedlot in the three counties. If there were just a couple of investors in each county to buy the dying animals and feed them it would have gone along way to alleviate the problem. The three counties have very wealthy people who are putting up buildings in nakuru and nairobi yet none dare invest in their own counties. I heard that marakwet is now called home of choppers. Last week a bunch of us from nyandarua were in samburu and baringo counties buying livestock to fatten in Nyandarua county,I which we had more capacity mainly fodder and land, the return might be well over 400%.
Beef in kenya is expensive in nairobi ksh.500-600, if the pastoral communities embraced modern ranching and range management they could increase output which would lower the price of beef to a level that most families can afford beef daily. Which would in turn expand the overall market.

Take a look at the countries that have done well in feeding themselves---both recent transformations as well as the standard "international community" that we wail to when we are starving (regularly, like clockwork).   Those countries have not succeeded solely on the basis of heroic, manly farmers or good, upright citizens looking out for the stomachs of their compatriots and investing accordingly.    What you will find are serious government policies that have been carefully crafted and then put into action.

No feedlot in the counties you mention?   How about a public-private partnership to set up some?   How about subsidies or tax credits for private types who set up some?  How about the government providing the infrastructure that would make it easy and economical to set up? We have a national problem, and  a couple of guys from Nyandaru going around to buy desperate animals from desperate people is neither a desirable nor sustainable solution.

It is amazing that in the 21st century we still see ourselves as being at the mercy of nature and go around begging for food whenever the rains fail.  And at the very same time, we keep shouting about how we are a country on the rise (and regional powerhouse) that will be an industrialized country within 13 years!  Even in the middle of a drought, spending more (and planning to spend more) on gadgets for toddlers than on irrigation! Which is ven more amazing when one considers that something like a quarter of Kenyan children will not develop properly--- physically and mentally and irreversibly so---because of a lack of proper nutrition.   

[hk]

Baringo can raise beef for the whole of Africa, but poor govt policies, or lack of have kept the region stagnant.

I dont know what policy is needed other than simple investment. Baringo, samburu and pokot counties main economic activity is livestock. Yet we don't have even one feedlot in the three counties. If there were just a couple of investors in each county to buy the dying animals and feed them it would have gone along way to alleviate the problem. The three counties have very wealthy people who are putting up buildings in nakuru and nairobi yet none dare invest in their own counties. I heard that marakwet is now called home of choppers. Last week a bunch of us from nyandarua were in samburu and baringo counties buying livestock to fatten in Nyandarua county,I which we had more capacity mainly fodder and land, the return might be well over 400%.
Beef in kenya is expensive in nairobi ksh.500-600, if the pastoral communities embraced modern ranching and range management they could increase output which would lower the price of beef to a level that most families can afford beef daily. Which would in turn expand the overall market.

Take a look at the countries that have done well in feeding themselves---both recent transformations as well as the standard "international community" that we wail to when we are starving (regularly, like clockwork).   Those countries have not succeeded solely on the basis of heroic, manly farmers or upright, good citizens looking out for the stomachs of their compatriots and investing accordingly.    What you will find are serious government policies that have been carefully crafted and then put into action.

No feedlot in the counties you mention?   How about a public-private partnership to set up some?   How about subsidies or tax credits for private types who set up some?  How about the government providing the infrastructure that would make it easy and economical to set up? We have a national problem, and  a couple of guys from Nyandaru going around to buy desperate animals from desperate people is neither a desirable nor sustainable solution.

It is amazing that in the 21st century we still see ourselves as being at the mercy of nature and go around begging for food whenever the rains fail.  And at the very same time, we keep shouting about how we are a country on the rise (and regional powerhouse) that will be an industrialized country within 13 years!  Even in the middle of a drought, spending more (and planning to spend more) on gadgets for toddlers than on irrigation! Which is ven more amazing when one considers that something like a quarter of Kenyan children will not develop properly--- physically and mentally and irreversibly so---because of a lack of proper nutrition.   

Yes the government should concentrate on infrastructure and security. In terms of infrastructure e.g it used to take a whole day from Rimuruti to Maralal (samburu) and its only 120km. Now its just 1 hr , more interior roads need to be done even if its better murram. The security is a major a problem, an outsider would have difficulty time investing in a feedlot with accompanying dam for irrigation to grow fodder. In dry season the locals would just invade the farm if not worse.  To construct a 1 acre dam it cost about 4m so clearly, a lot of people or the county/central government can afford to construct several dams. In some of this areas there need not be a major intervention, basically planting fodder during the rainy season then storing it for the dry season and dams for water would suffice. There's no need for subsidies or even tax credit just get the counties to build dams and national government to ensure security.
There's plenty of food in kenya its only people without money that are starving(go to kapenguria or maralal and there's everything). The solution is to make sure the locals engage in an economic activity that they can derive income from. Guys like us from Nyandarua are providing a valuable service, buying off this animals so that they can have money to buy food. And this are livestock people they sell their animals to make money. Rimuruti in likipia is a major livestock market where baringo,pokots and samburu  sell their animals every thursday. The buyers are normally from nakuru/nairobi and central kenya. You can buy anything from emaciated livestock to fatten to ready to slaughter livestock. Even one Mureithi nderitu has invested in a modern abattoir https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2000132105/firm-puts-sh220m-in-meat-firm

[MOON Ki]

Yes the government should concentrate on infrastructure and security. In terms of infrastructure e.g it used to take a whole day from Rimuruti to Maralal (samburu) and its only 120km. Now its just 1 hr , more interior roads need to be done even if its better murram. The security is a major a problem, an outsider would have difficulty time investing in a feedlot with accompanying dam for irrigation to grow fodder. In dry season the locals would just invade the farm if not worse.  To construct a 1 acre dam it cost about 4m so clearly, a lot of people or the county/central government can afford to construct several dams. In some of this areas there need not be a major intervention, basically planting fodder during the rainy season then storing it for the dry season and dams for water would suffice. There's no need for subsidies or even tax credit just get the counties to build dams and national government to ensure security.
There's plenty of food in kenya its only people without money that are starving(go to kapenguria or maralal and there's everything). The solution is to make sure the locals engage in an economic activity that they can derive income from. Guys like us from Nyandarua are providing a valuable service, buying off this animals so that they can have money to buy food. And this are livestock people they sell their animals to make money. Rimuruti in likipia is a major livestock market where baringo,pokots and samburu  sell their animals every thursday. The buyers are normally from nakuru/nairobi and central kenya. You can buy anything from emaciated livestock to fatten to ready to slaughter livestock. Even one Mureithi nderitu has invested in a modern abattoir https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2000132105/firm-puts-sh220m-in-meat-firm

That's only part of the story.   The "unavailability" of food doesn't literally mean that  there is no food; it also has to do with there being enough so that it is easily affordable.    So, in that sense, Kenya does not have much food right now.    Food in Kenya is actually very expensive.    The cost of a whole chicken in Kenya is probably not that different from that in, say, the UK, and that's without taking into account the huge disparity in average incomes.  The same will cost about half in China, and, again that's raw figures that don't take into account disparities in incomes.    If one scales for income differences, then it is evident that Kenyans are paying through the nose to eat.   

So what is required is agricultural production on such a scale that prices force prices to go down but the sales will be of a magnitude that will keep the produces in the gravy. Keep in mind that a real problem in Kenya at such times is that of people hoarding food, e.g. even maize, to drive up prices, something that would not be possible with the large-scale production of affordable food. To look at it simply as a lack of money---and, as RV Pundit has proposed, use MPESA to send money to the starving---misses a huge part of the picture and ensures that the problem will persist. 

Yes, you guys from Nyandarua are indeed providing a service, in  that you are helping the people eat for a bit longer, although there is some amusing irony in the idea of farmers  in a scheme that involves others "buying off this animals so that they can have money to buy food".  But what happens next year, after they have eaten that money and there is another drought?  And, anyway, how many of the starving 2-million+ have livestock to sell to Nyandarua?

We have become a nation of thieves, fly-by-night hustlers, and assorted smoke-and-mirrors types.  From top to bottom.   A change is urgently needed.    We need to first focus on the basics---food, health (simple clean water and toilets etc.), individual security, and so forth---and the disciplined planning and hard work that is required to deliver on those.   And it is the government that should lead on that.  From top to bottom.  Right now we have the absurdity of the Deputy President showing up to tout the government's successes---preparing today's toddlers to be tomorrow's online billionaires!---in a place where people and starving (and for whom the government is sending our urgent "please help!" messages), a place from which he has had to run away because of never-ending banditry!

[hk]

Yes the government should concentrate on infrastructure and security. In terms of infrastructure e.g it used to take a whole day from Rimuruti to Maralal (samburu) and its only 120km. Now its just 1 hr , more interior roads need to be done even if its better murram. The security is a major a problem, an outsider would have difficulty time investing in a feedlot with accompanying dam for irrigation to grow fodder. In dry season the locals would just invade the farm if not worse.  To construct a 1 acre dam it cost about 4m so clearly, a lot of people or the county/central government can afford to construct several dams. In some of this areas there need not be a major intervention, basically planting fodder during the rainy season then storing it for the dry season and dams for water would suffice. There's no need for subsidies or even tax credit just get the counties to build dams and national government to ensure security.
There's plenty of food in kenya its only people without money that are starving(go to kapenguria or maralal and there's everything). The solution is to make sure the locals engage in an economic activity that they can derive income from. Guys like us from Nyandarua are providing a valuable service, buying off this animals so that they can have money to buy food. And this are livestock people they sell their animals to make money. Rimuruti in likipia is a major livestock market where baringo,pokots and samburu  sell their animals every thursday. The buyers are normally from nakuru/nairobi and central kenya. You can buy anything from emaciated livestock to fatten to ready to slaughter livestock. Even one Mureithi nderitu has invested in a modern abattoir https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2000132105/firm-puts-sh220m-in-meat-firm

That's only part of the story.   The "unavailability" of food doesn't literally mean that  there is no food; it also has to do with there being enough so that it is easily affordable.    So, in that sense, Kenya does not have much food right now.    Food in Kenya is actually very expensive.    The cost of a whole chicken in Kenya is probably not that different from that in, say, the UK, and that's without taking into account the huge disparity in average incomes.  The same will cost about half in China, and, again that's raw figures that don't take into account disparities in incomes.    If one scales for income differences, then it is evident that Kenyans are paying through the nose to eat.   

So what is required is agricultural production on such a scale that prices force prices to go down but the sales will be of a magnitude that will keep the produces in the gravy. Keep in mind that a real problem in Kenya at such times is that of people hoarding food, e.g. even maize, to drive up prices, something that would not be possible with the large-scale production of affordable food. To look at it simply as a lack of money---and, as RV Pundit has proposed, use MPESA to send money to the starving---misses a huge part of the picture and ensures that the problem will persist. 

Yes, you guys from Nyandarua are indeed providing a service, in  that you are helping the people eat for a bit longer, although there is some amusing irony in the idea of farmers  in a scheme that involves others "buying off this animals so that they can have money to buy food".  But what happens next year, after they have eaten that money and there is another drought?  And, anyway, how many of the starving 2-million+ have livestock to sell to Nyandarua?

We have become a nation of thieves, hustlers, and assorted smoke-and-mirrors types.  From top to bottom.   A change is urgently needed.    We need to first focus on the basics---food, health (simple clean water and toilets etc.), individual security, and so forth---and the disciplined planning and hard work that is required to deliver on those.   And it is the government that should lead on that.  From top to bottom.  Right now we have the absurdity of the Deputy President showing up to tout the government's successes---preparing today's toddlers to be tomorrow's online billionaires!---in a place where people and starving (and for whom the government is sending our urgent "please help!" messages), a place from which he has had to run away because of never-ending banditry!

I agree food can be and should be cheaper in kenya. I had pointed that out to empedocle Beef in kenya is expensive in nairobi ksh.500-600, if the pastoral communities embraced modern ranching and range management they could increase output which would lower the price of beef to a level that most families can afford beef daily. Which would in turn expand the overall market. . Yes we need large scale farming using modern techniques, in pastoral areas communities can form cooperatives to grow fodder, or the counties to be encouraged to buy tractors that can be rent out to farmers to plow/till land to grow fodder. Maize in kenya is expensive because of the artificial high prices set by National cereals board. As a result grains used for chicken feeds are expensive end result being expensive chicken.
There's nothing wrong with farmers selling to other farmers, Texas cattle country holds quarterly cattle auction where farmers buy cattle from other farmers depending on their need. One of the big problems with pastoral communities in the affect areas is overstocking of livestock. Unloading of some of the livestock should be encouraged and as the rain sets in the next few months the stock will replenish. The other thing is inbreeding of cattle/sheep and goats which results in diminished size and poor quality of meat. Education in this areas is really essential even for adults so that the herders can get more modern techniques. 

[MOON Ki]

There's nothing wrong with farmers selling to other farmers, Texas cattle country holds quarterly cattle auction where farmers buy cattle from other farmers depending on their need.

I see no problem with the basic idea, but this is a thread on the starving in Kenya, and you gave us

"buying off this animals so that they can have money to buy food"

I'm pretty sure the folks in Texas are not selling because they are in danger of starvation.

Education in this areas is really essential even for adults so that the herders can get more modern techniques. 

Indeed.  And another way in which the government could make itself useful.

[hk]

There's nothing wrong with farmers selling to other farmers, Texas cattle country holds quarterly cattle auction where farmers buy cattle from other farmers depending on their need.

I see no problem with the basic idea, but this is a thread on the starving in Kenya, and you gave us

"buying off this animals so that they can have money to buy food"

I'm pretty sure the folks in Texas are not selling because they are in danger of starvation.

Education in this areas is really essential even for adults so that the herders can get more modern techniques. 

Indeed.  And another way in which the government could make itself useful.

Whether there's drought or not they'd be selling their livestock, its what they do for a living.  Generally speaking they sell their livestock to buy food among other things. The problem is some of them held on to their livestock for too long instead of destocking so that they could be left with manageable stock. 

[RV Pundit]

Hj - you've got some good ideas there. I would say security need to be top priority - it seem almost all semi-arid areas in kenya suffer from serious cattle rustling menace - that needed to be stamped out - and then  people including you and me can go to Baringo or Pokot to do ranch or as i suspect to engage in minning.We need to borrow a leaf from Museveni and tame the wild north. This has to be done through more police stations - more roads - more communication towers. However knowing the return on investment there is doubtful  - may best to hive off these areas and let mineral explorers try some magic.

[hk]

Hj - you've got some good ideas there. I would say security need to be top priority - it seem almost all semi-arid areas in kenya suffer from serious cattle rustling menace - that needed to be stamped out - and then  people including you and me can go to Baringo or Pokot to do ranch or as i suspect to engage in minning.We need to borrow a leaf from Museveni and tame the wild north. This has to be done through more police stations - more roads - more communication towers. However knowing the return on investment there is doubtful  - may best to hive off these areas and let mineral explorers try some magic.

I agree security is paramount and maybe we should borrow a leaf from Uganda. If there are minerals that are economically viable, exploration should be encouraged. I am yet to see the mineral mapping paper that suppose to show where likely minerals are. The mining and ranching can coexist depending on type of minerals.  If this areas increased their economic output kenya would be growing by over 10%.  Just by doing very simple modern range and breeding management. The funniest thing is those counties and laikipia are the biggest manure exporters to other counties.

[RV Pundit]

Yap - the last serious geological mapping was done by British and the report is most likely top secret somewhere in London. I think semi-arid kenya best bet would be 1) minerals 2) ranching and 3) tourism.

I agree security is paramount and maybe we should borrow a leaf from Uganda. If there are minerals that are economically viable, exploration should be encouraged. I am yet to see the mineral mapping paper that suppose to show where likely minerals are. The mining and ranching can coexist depending on type of minerals.  If this areas increased their economic output kenya would be growing by over 10%.  Just by doing very simple modern range and breeding management. The funniest thing is those counties and laikipia are the biggest manure exporters to other counties.

[gout]

What is these attachment of pastoralists to animals even when drought oddsare stacked against them? They won't sell the damn animals when they can fetch a good price.