distributions to pastoralist communities early in a food crisis, and continuing after market and
pasture conditions have improved, with the central aim of enabling beneficiaries to maintain their
livestock holdings and avoid forced sales of breeding stock. There is some controversy about the
effects of this strategy compared to the alternative of market interventions to purchase livestock
early in a crisis, thus supporting purchasing power and facilitating controlled de stocking (such as
has been done under DPIRP). Given the broad terms of reference of this study, it was not
possible to go into this issue in depth. It is therefore
RECOMMENDED that a study be funded to
compare the targeting and distributional effects of these two alternative approaches to
28
assisting pastoralists during food crises, selecting two or more contrasting areas of Kenya
for the comparison
.
Finally, it is
RECOMMENDED that the GoK develop a disaster preparedness policy, including
29
principles for the use and targeting of food aid
. This could potentially be done with UNDP
support, as in Tanzania and Uganda, and could also be an issue for discussion and exchange of
views at regional level within the EAC (Chapter 2.).
If such a policy, and the political will for improved targeting of government food aid, is established
in Nairobi, then there would be considerable scope for capacity and skills development (training
and closer involvement in NGO distributions) at District and Division level in selected food
insecure areas. However, without this political momentum there is little outsiders can do about
the overall problems of leakage and weak accountability in the government relief system.
A 48
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