Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06NAIROBI1804, RAINS STABILIZE PASTORALIST DECLINE IN KENYA

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #06NAIROBI1804.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06NAIROBI1804 2006-04-26 11:53 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Nairobi
VZCZCXYZ0010
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNR #1804/01 1161153
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261153Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1273
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 8454
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 4142
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1652
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4887
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3886
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 6922
UNCLAS NAIROBI 001804 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC AFDROUGHT 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EPRATT 
USAID/W FOR AA/DCHA, WGARVELINK, LROGERS 
DCHA/OFDA FOR GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS, CGOTTSCHALK, 
KCHANNELL 
DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN 
AFR/EA FOR JBORNS, KNELSON 
USUN FOR EMALY 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
ROME FOR FODAG 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
NSC FOR JMELINE, TSHORTLEY 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID KE
 
SUBJECT:  RAINS STABILIZE PASTORALIST DECLINE IN KENYA 
 
 
Summary 
 
1.  The arrival of the long rains in Kenya's Garissa 
and Wajir districts have stabilized the dramatic 
decline in pastoralist livelihoods experienced in 
recent months.  However, humanitarian interventions 
remain necessary to ensure both short- and long-term 
recovery.  Potential interventions should aim to build 
resiliency among Kenya's pastoralist population 
continually affected by drought by promoting 
diversification of herd composition, enhancing animal 
health services, and encouraging early sale of animals 
before prices drop due to poor body conditions during a 
drought.  End summary. 
 
USAID Assessment Trip 
 
2.  From April 14 to 17, a USAID assessment team 
traveled to Garissa and Wajir district in Kenya?s North 
Eastern Province to assess the impact of drought 
conditions on pastoralist livelihoods and food 
security.  The team included the USAID/OFDA Regional 
Advisor for East and Central Africa, the USAID/OFDA 
Agriculture and Food Security Advisor, and the 
USAID/FFP Kenya Backstop.  The visit to Kenya followed 
a trip to drought-affected areas of Ethiopia by the 
USAID/OFDA Agriculture and Food Security Advisor and 
the USAID/FFP Kenya Backstop, allowing for comparisons 
to be made between the two countries.  A separate cable 
will present the team's findings regarding access to 
water and potential interventions. 
 
Long Rains Begin 
 
3.  The long rains season for the pastoralist areas 
including Garissa and Wajir districts began in early 
April, confirmed during the assessment.  The team noted 
evidence of patchy rains in the form of surface water, 
regenerated browse, and sprouting grasses throughout 
the districts.  Continual rains are necessary in the 
pastoral areas to ensure groundwater recharge and to 
fully regenerate pasture.  At the time of the 
assessment, browse for camels and goats was 
regenerating well; however, grasses for cattle were 
still very sparse. 
 
High Rates of Animal Mortality 
 
4.  The team observed significant numbers of animal 
carcasses throughout the assessment in Garissa and 
Wajir districts.  Although pastoralists reported losing 
up to 90 percent of animals, including cattle, sheep, 
goats, and camels, all of the carcasses were cattle. 
Cattle are least able to resist drought due to 
considerable water needs and limited food choice. 
Pastoralists also reported a temporary surge in animal 
mortality after the first rains when already weakened 
animals succumbed to illness or poor condition. 
 
5.  Discussions with pastoralists in the livestock 
market near Ifo refugee camp and at water points in 
Sarif and Dadajabura revealed losses of 60 to 90 
percent.  Among these were predominately cattle, but 
communities also reported some camel losses, a sign of 
the severity of the drought.  Most agreed that they had 
not seen drought conditions or similar degrees of 
animal loss since the early 1990s. 
 
6.  Animal carcasses were regularly left where the 
animal falls or pulled to the roadside.  Communities 
made little attempt to dispose of carcasses or separate 
water points and carcasses in the areas visited. 
Diseased animals present risks to animal health through 
potential spread of diseases to remaining animals. 
 
7.  Informal discussions in Dadajabura community 
revealed a recent increase in diahrreal illnesses among 
children.  Community members speculated that there was 
connection between the dead animals, contaminated 
water, and the children?s health.  They stated that no 
one had done anything to help them with the carcasses. 
Sensitization on the need to dispose of carcasses and 
mobilization of communities to do so, perhaps through 
pastoralist associations, are key.  One method of 
disposal is the burning of carcasses; however, access 
to sufficient fuel may be an issue.  USAID partner 
CARE, based in Dadaab, claimed to have burned and 
estimated 5,000 carcasses in recent weeks and appeared 
to be the only organization currently undertaking this 
task. 
 
8.  The extent and coverage of animal health services 
in the region are unclear.  Although the Humanitarian 
Aid Department of the European Commission (ECHO) funded 
vaccination campaigns covering an estimated 1.6 million 
cattle in Kenya in 2005, access to regular veterinary 
health services and vaccinations appeared minimal.  In 
neighboring Ethiopia significant attention is being 
given to raising capacity of community animal health 
workers and to providing services. 
 
Migration, Returns, Trucking, Resource Conflicts 
 
9.  According to the USAID-supported Famine Early 
Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), the migration 
radius during the drought reached up to 100 km, 
signifying that some pastoralists would have crossed 
borders between Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia in search 
of pasture and water.  Discussions with Kenyan herders 
in Ethiopia indicated that they kept a close watch on 
rains back home and intended to return when pasture and 
water became available.  With news of the recent rains, 
pastoralists may begin to return soon.  Humanitarian 
organizations should take this into consideration when 
planning interventions in the drought-affected areas. 
 
10.  Not all animal owners were equally affected by the 
drought, which is important when targeting 
beneficiaries for recovery programming.  Some were able 
to truck animals to better pasture or to feeding pen 
arrangements.  The cost for this was well beyond most 
pastoralists' means.  One owner who used this method 
paid 2,000 Kenyan Shillings (KSh) ? approximately 30 
U.S. Dollars (USD) ? per cow for transportation and 830 
KSh - 12 USD ? per cow per month for grass and grains. 
The owner will also pay the the cost of a herder to 
watch the animals and migrate with them back to 
traditional grazing areas. 
 
11.  In Garissa District, grazing land and water 
resources are under intense pressure as the Somalian 
refugee population of nearly 150,000 graze animals on 
the same land as the host community.  According to 
CARE, which works with both communities, this remains a 
potential source of friction and should be monitored. 
Surprisingly, in discussions with refugees near the Ifo 
camp livestock market, some mentioned having herds of 
100 camels, a significant number and an indication of 
the herd sizes that some of the refugees may own.  CARE 
estimates that for each Somali refugee in the camp, 
there are 50 animals. 
Reduced Resiliency 
 
12.  Although the rains are coming and both pasture and 
animal body condition are improving, pastoralists 
continue to face significant challenges.  Much of their 
asset base has been depleted as a result of successive 
droughts.  Moreover, the low price of livestock in the 
markets has left them with few income generating 
options.  While the animals which remain will soon gain 
strength with the improved pasture, full recovery of 
pastoralist livelihoods will be lengthy.  Animal 
condition and prices will take several months to 
improve, and animal herds will need years to restock. 
 
Recommendations 
 
13.  Disposal of carcasses is an important issue for 
ensuring water quality for human health and for 
reducing transmission of animal diseases to other 
animals.  Identifying best practices for this task and 
promoting the selected method through pastoralist 
associations and others community groups, such as water 
associations, would enhance human and animal health. 
 
14.  Any interventions aimed at pastoralists should 
consider improving the long-term resiliency of pastoral 
livelihoods.  This can be done by spreading risk 
through diversification of herd composition, increasing 
animal health through vaccination and basic health 
interventions, and encouraging early sale of animals 
before prices drop due to poor condition and to reduce 
pressure on over-grazed and over-populated range lands. 
All interventions should take into account the carrying 
capacity of the land and the frequency of low rainfall 
years. 
 
15.  In addition, although many livelihood options 
cannot be supported in the harsh climate of the 
pastoral areas, pilot programs aimed at identifying and 
promoting alternatives should be supported where 
possible. 
 
Conclusion 
 
16.  The arrival of the long rains has stabilized the 
situation for pastoralists in Garissa and Wajir 
districts.  Future interventions should be based on an 
analysis of how the rainy season progresses. 
Interventions must look to mitigate the impact of 
cyclical droughts by increasing stability of 
livelihoods and resiliency of vulnerable populations. 
 
BELLAMY