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Kenya has launched a five-year plan to transform arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) into reliable economic hubs in the country.
Eugene Wamalwa, Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Devolution and ASALS, said on Friday that the 2018-2022 strategic plan targets livestock, energy, tourism, agriculture, trade and minerals sectors that are underexploited.
“We want to address the inequalities and vulnerabilities that are currently being experienced in the ASALs in a coordinated manner,” Wamalwa said during the launch.
According to him, this has become important especially as the regions face extreme climatic conditions leading to devastating effects on environment and livelihood of communities with spiraling vulnerabilities.
Wamalwa said that the ASAL regions in Kenya cover 48 million hectares, which is slightly over 80 per cent of Kenya’s total land surface.
“Out of this land mass, 9.6 million hectares support marginal agriculture, 15 million are suitable for sedentary livestock production and 24 million hectares are dry and suitable for nomadic pastoralism,” he said.