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Transcript/ScriptKENYA DROUGHT HERDERS FISHING
HEADLINE: Kenyan Pastoral Communities Embrace Fishing
TEASER: Fish rearing cushions communities against drought effects
PUBLISHED AT: 1/xx/22
BYLINE: Brenda Mulinya
DATELINE: Nairobi, Kenya
VIDEOGRAPHER: Amos Wangwa
PRODUCER: Amos Wangwa
SCRIPT EDITORS: DLJ, MAS
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO X
TRT:
VID APPROVED BY:
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) [[Kenya's nomadic herders are among those suffering the most from recurring drought that kills the livestock they depend on. To make them less dependent on rain, aid programs are teaching Kenya's herders how to farm fish and keep bees. Brenda Mulinya reports from Isiolo, Kenya.]]
((VIDEO-VOA: AERIAL VIDEO, DRY LANDS, CATTLE, AND GOATS)
((NARRATION))
The arid and semi-arid parts of Kenya have been in the grips of a cyclical drought since last year that threatens the lives of nearly two million people. Pastoral communities who depend on livestock are counting their losses and facing an uncertain food security.
((VIDEO-VOA, MAMO ENTERING FISH POND ENCLOSURE, FEEDING FISH))
But Makay Mamo, a pastoralist-turned-farmer hasn’t had to worry about how to feed her family during this dry period. She has been rearing fish on her farm for the last two years and it is paying off.
As other pastoralists struggle to feed their families during this drought, she has enough to eat and sell.
((Makay Mamo, Fish Farmer (speaking in Swahili 24 seconds))
“During the drought, we can’t buy food in the market, all the goats are too thin, but with fish, we are happy, fish only needs the pond water, you can catch a big fish that will feed you and your children.”
((VIDEO-VOA: MAKAY REMOVING SHIELD FROM THE POND, IRENE DURING THE INTERVIEW))
((NARRATION))
Fish rearing was introduced to Isiolo, a county in the northern parts of Kenya, in 2019 by the county government in collaboration with the World Food Program. The initiative is meant to cushion residents from the effects of extreme weather conditions like droughts and floods.
((Irene Opwora, World Food Program Field Officer (speaking in English, 20 secs))
“We started off with general interventions like food distributions which was a bit reactionary. Like after a drought or flood, we were giving food to communities, but we then realized that over time that it was not sustainable.”
((VIDEO-VOA MAKAY AND HELPERS CASTING NET INTO THE POND, FISH CAUGHT IN THE NET ))
((NARRATION))
The sustainable food systems program has seen pastoralists like Makay try other types of farming aside from livestock. The county government of Isiolo says diversifying sources of livelihood has helped lessen the impact of droughts that have hit the county and surrounding areas every few years.
((Amina Bachi, Isiolo County Fisheries Officer (speaking in English, 27 secs))
“Right now, I can say we have a good number of people accepting fish as a livelihood and they are using it to earn other income to produce other household needs, so we, right now we have phase two that’s coming in. We are targeting 40 fish farmers. We are hoping that with time, they’ll be able to see fish as other livestock.”
((VIDEO-VOA:FISH CAUGHT IN NET, MAKAY LOOKING AT FISH)
((NARRATION))
The program has grown from 15 groups to more than 50. And individual farmers now farm and consume the fish, as well practice crop farming, hay production and bee keeping.
The program aims to reach close to a thousand groups in the next five years.
((BRENDA MULINYA, FOR VOA NEWS, Nairobi, Kenya ))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Topic TagsKenya
Drought
NetworkVOA
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
