The Effect of Market Operations on Drought Induced Livestock Mortality in North Horr Ward of Marsabit County of Kenya

Abstract

Drought is one of the disasters that occur naturally caused by changes in climate and weather which can lead to impacts on the economy, environment and society. The study objective was to establish the effect of access to markets on drought induced livestock mortality in Marsabit County. This study was anchored on two theories; the market theory and the theory of resource mobilisation focusing on assessing the role of market operation in reducing the livestock losses due to drought emergencies in Marsabit County. A causal design was adopted in this which is basing on quantitative approaches to figure out why phenomena happen as is often the purpose of researches carried out in social sciences. The location in which the study was done is North Horr Ward of North Horr-Sub County in Marsabit County. The study concluded that access to markets has a significant effect on drought induced livestock mortality in Marsabit County. With low accessibility to markets, the pastoralists may wish to sell of their livestock as drought situations worsen but fail to get their livestock in time to the markets. The respondents, however, observed that the accessibility to livestock markets in Marsabit County worsens during drought as herders and their livestock have to walk longer distances to the livestock. With better access to markets, pastoralists can sell away their livestock in good time ahead of serious drought catastrophes and reduce the chances of losing their livestock to mortality. Access to markets also increases the access to livestock feeds that would reduce the chances of livestock deaths due to reduced pasture.The study recommends improved accessibility of markets by the local government, national government and other stakeholders and partners should encourage the development of markets to make them more accessible for pastoralist communities in the events of droughts to help preserve the livelihoods of the households in these communities. By encouraging the development of markets, the losses in terms of livestock deaths induced by drought will be reduced, hence preserving the livelihoods. Consideration on the pastoral nomadic lifestyles of the communities should be made for increased accessibility. Development of mobile markets other than the permanent markets should be encouraged to help the communities that move further from civilisation during droughts in search for pasture to still have accessible markets to help reduce losses they incur when their livestocks die as they try to access markets.