Livestock, destitution, and drought: The impact of restocking on food security post-disaster

Restocking is increasingly viewed as the primary method of rehabilitating the small-scale pastoral sector after disaster. In the last decade, approximately $100 million has been spent on programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. In the early years of restocking, the majority of projects among pastoralists were implemented in response to disaster. In general, restocking was seen as a method to rehabilitate the impoverished into the social and economic fabric of pastoralism. In the ensuing decades, programme focus has subtly shifted. At present, restocking projects are being implemented as relief, rehabilitation and as a means of development. Projects are viewed as a method of supporting a household's immediate nutritional needs and livelihood long-term. As such, restocking is often justified as a means of improving household food security. However, little evidence exists that programmes are able to fulfill these goals. This paper examines concepts of food security in relation to pastoralists and attempts to quantify the impact of restocking on pastoralist households in Northern Kenya.