Today in Turkana County, U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, Robert F. Godec opened the Lodwar Livestock Market, which was upgraded through 38 million Kenya Shilling (US $380,000) in funds from the U.S. government to improve the market’s infrastructure and water system. The improved structures and facilities will spur economic growth in the livestock industry and create wealth, employment and resilience within the community.

Ambassador Godec also announced that the United States Government, together with the Government of Kenya, launched a new 4.5 billion Kenya Shilling (US $45 million) program called Livestock Market Systems. The five-year project funded through the U.S. government’s Feed the Future program will strengthen market systems in northern Kenya in an initiative that will benefit more than 240,000 households in Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, Turkana, and Wajir counties. 

The Livestock Market Systems program provides grants, vocational and technical education, business support services, and policy expertise to expand and diversify economic opportunities to improve community resilience to climate shocks and reduce poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. A total of 94,000 households in the five counties have benefitted from USAID’s investments to support pastoralist communities to cope better with and recover from climate-related stresses.

“The U.S. government is committed to unlocking the full economic potential of the ASAL counties.  We will…continue to support the trade of livestock, livestock products, pasture and fodder production, and fishing,” explained U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Robert F. Godec.

Support to entrepreneurs and local businesses is a key component of Feed the Future, the United States Government’s global hunger and food initiative. The initiative works to reduce hunger and poverty, increase social stability, and build strong foundations for economic growth through strengthened social, economic, and environmental resilience. The Lodwar Livestock Market was built through the Resilience and Economic Growth in the Arid Lands – Accelerated Growth (REGAL-AG) program and the water system for this market was constructed under the Kenya Resilient Arid Lands Partnership for Integrated Development (Kenya RAPID) program.