By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, 16 June 2026 - Wajir County Government has committed an initial KSh 50 million towards the operationalisation of livestock cooperatives across the county as part of efforts to transform the livestock sector and improve the livelihoods of pastoral communities.
Governor Ahmed Abdullahi announced the commitment following a meeting in Nairobi with the Technical Working Team for the Pastoral Livestock Co-operative Model (PLCM), a national initiative aimed at strengthening livestock production, marketing, and value addition in pastoral regions.
The meeting was led by the Chairman of the National Livestock Development and Promotion Service, Mohamed Ibrahim Elmi, and brought together key stakeholders from the cooperative and livestock sectors.
Among those present were Dr. Mary Karumba representing the Commissioner for Cooperatives Development, Prof. Isaac Nyamongo, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the African Centre for Development Research and Innovation (ACDRI) at the Cooperative University of Kenya, Prof. Wycliffe Oboka, Principal Cooperative Officer Alice Asiko, and livestock cooperatives technical lead Diyad Hujale.
According to Governor Abdullahi, the discussions focused on the progress made towards operationalising livestock cooperatives and the expected impact of the model on pastoral communities.
He said the PLCM is designed to replicate the success achieved by cooperative movements in sectors such as coffee farming, where collective bargaining, improved market access, and value addition have significantly enhanced farmers’ incomes.
“The livestock cooperative model will be a game changer for pastoralists by creating sustainable livestock enterprises and expanding access to premium markets,” the governor said.
The county’s KSh 50 million allocation will be used to establish last-mile delivery infrastructure needed to support livestock cooperatives in all 30 wards of Wajir County.
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The investment complements a KSh5 billion commitment by the National Government, announced by President William Ruto during this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir. The national funding is expected to support more than 350,000 pastoralists across the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) counties through livestock cooperatives, the Livestock Enterprise Development Fund, and the National Strategic Fodder Reserve.
Governor Abdullahi said collaboration between county governments and the national government will be critical in unlocking the full potential of Kenya’s livestock sector.
He noted that the initiative seeks to move pastoral economies beyond the traditional export of live animals by promoting value-added products such as processed meat, leather, and dairy products.
The governor expressed optimism that the livestock cooperative model will enhance incomes, strengthen market linkages, create jobs, and drive long-term economic growth in pastoral regions.
The PLCM is expected to play a key role in modernizing livestock production systems and improving the resilience of pastoral communities across Kenya’s ASAL counties.