BY

PRINCIPAL SECRETARY

STATE DEPARTMENT FOR LIVESTOCK MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, FISHERIES AND COOPERATIVES AT THE HOLISTIC GRAZING AND MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

CLOSING REMARKS

BY

PRINCIPAL SECRETARY

STATE DEPARTMENT FOR LIVESTOCK MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, FISHERIES AND COOPERATIVES AT THE HOLISTIC GRAZING AND MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE SAROVA WHITESANDS BEACH RESORT AND SPA, MOMBASA, KENYA, 22ND AND 23RD MARCH, 2022

2.Dear range-land actors and stakeholders,
Ladies and Gentlemen, As you may be aware, the communities living around the Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania (SOKNOT) landscape continue to face increased threat to food and nutritional security due to, among others, increased human-wildlife conflict and poor agricultural production practices.

You may also know of the existence of the Tsave Tsavo and SOKNOT Landscape Restoration Program which aims to restore a transboundary landscape that covers 13 Kenyan Counties and 6 Tanzanian Provinces, a total area of approximately 400,000 square kilometers. The program looks at developing a holistic and multisectoral approach to the restoration of the landscape.

3.It focuses on four key pillars

  1. The livelihoods/cultural/heritage pillar
  2. The water towers/water catchment pillar
  3. The bluescapes/hydrological pillar
  4. The rangelands/ASALs pillar – which has been
    the focus of this 2-day conference. I am happy to note that the process of developing the national pilot for rangelands mitigation is being guided by the Savory Institute using the acclaimed Holistic Management and Planned Grazing Methodology which is transforming landscape using livestock in Southern Africa.

The Ministry acknowledges the support that World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – Kenya continues to provide, including the facilitation to visit the Africa Centre for Holistic Management (ACHM) and also farms in South Africa that practice the said methodology.

4. I note with appreciation the support of the Tsavo Block Ranches in facilitating the participation of consultants from the Savory Institute so that we can start developing the Holistic Management & Planned Grazing program. I acknowledge the efforts and commitment of the spectrum of stakeholder institutions, including public and the private sector players, towards the development of a Holistic Management and Planned Grazing program which is tailor-made to suit the said transboundary landscape.

The presence of all of us here today is a clear testimony of this commitment. I note with satisfaction the plans to convene an international conference where the national pilot for rangelands mitigation will be subjected to the policymakers, the public and scientists for peer review.

5

. I am told that the expected outputs from the conference will be, among others, to backstop the restoration activities, to consolidate the gains made by various stakeholders, to update policy players, and to guide the development of a scientifically informed way forward on Holistic Management and Planned Grazing. The Ministry will be looking forward to this national pilot on rangelands mitigation, as agreed during the visioning conference held here in Mombasa last year. As I end my remarks, let me reiterate the Ministry’s commitment to continue offering the necessary support towards the development and operationalization of a Holistic Management and Planned Grazing program for Kenya, including the development of a Holistic Management and Planned Grazing training centre.

6 Once more ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take this opportunity to thank:

  1. The consultants and trainers from the Savory Institute. It is my hope that this is the beginning of a great and fruitful working relationship moving forward.
  2. The Tsavo Block Ranches for facilitating the participation of consultants from the Savory Institute and for providing the land needed to set up the grazing pilot.
  3. All institutions that were represented in this conference. Thank you for finding time to participate in this important Conference.

I hope that you had fruitful deliberations.

IT IS NOW MY HONOUR AND PLEASURE TO DECLARE THIS CONFERENCE OFFICIALLY CLOSED.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL.