In northern Kenya, livestock is more than just a source of income; it is a way of life for many pastoralist communities.

A 2021 baseline survey conducted by MashinaniWORKS, before the inception of the Ufugaji Bora Mashinani (UBM), found that more than 96% of herders had never received structured livestock management training. While many households owned herds averaging around 45 goats and sheep, productivity and profitability remained low. Limited access to quality veterinary services, repeated droughts, disease outbreaks, and poor breeding practices contributed to declining herd performance. Communities increasingly called for a more inclusive, practical approach to the livestock market system.

To address these gaps, MashinaniWORKS launched UBM, supported by USAID Local Works. The programme’s aim was to provide practical skills training to herders, enhancing their livestock production capabilities and strengthening the livestock value chain, contributing to improved household income.

A six‑module curriculum was developed covering breeding, feeding and nutrition, animal health, marketing, and climate‑smart rangeland management. 30 Livestock Marketing Agents were also identified, each receiving smart phones and solar charging kits to support continuous communication. This system now facilitates two‑way flow of market information, alerts on disease outbreaks, updates on rangeland conditions, and early warnings for drought management and disease surveillance. Furthermore, it has created a collaborative platform for County Governments and other stakeholders to improve on disease reporting and control, as well as intervention planning.  

The farmer field school model has reached 300 herders across 10 NRT member community conservancies in Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, and Laikipia counties. The first cohort graduated on 20 March 2024, completing a three-year training.

UBM emphasises sustained engagement and practical learning, aligning delivery approaches with nomadic lifestyles. Training incorporates informal sessions and hands-on demonstrations to reinforce improved practices, including nutrition trials and deworming. These interventions have also created opportunities for mobile agro-veterinary service providers. In addition, trained herders conduct rangeland health assessments, monitoring grazing patterns and livestock performance to inform decision-making at conservancy and county levels.

The programme continues to implement its theory of change, which centres on improving pastoralists’ access to information, strengthening livestock health and husbandry practices, enhancing productivity and competitiveness, and improving market linkages. Expanding the programme to additional conservancies, with a focus on youth and women, will further strengthen engagement in livestock value chain enterprises.

UBM collaborates with county government technical subject matter specialists in its operations and delivers impact through:

Programme design: the UBM curriculum consists of six modules whose content and
schedule are designed to reinforce lessons through practical experience, foster collaboration and partnership, and positively change behaviours.
Livestock value chain improvement: UBM establishes livestock improvement and
marketing groups (livestock marketing agents) in each participating community conservancy. The groups receive breeding, animal feeds, and supplementary feeding, livestock marketing, climate adaptation and rangeland governance training and technology, enabling them to access market information in real time and work toward selling as a cooperative, increasing their competitive edge.
Improved animal health and value: UBM trains participants in modern animal husbandry and links them to better agricultural supplies that are relatively more affordable.
The Programme also supports trained individuals and registered groups in mobilising
local herders and pooling resources for livestock vaccination. These groups actively advocate for vaccination and other animal health services. UBM also trains herders in supplemental feeding.
Improved rangelands: UBM training leverages the best of modern and traditional grazing practices, strengthens local rangeland governance, and links livestock value chain improvement to rangeland restoration.