Between 2008 and early 2010, Kenya, one of the countries of Eastern Africa, was affected by a severe drought, which put ten million people at risk of hunger and caused a large number of deaths to livestock in Kenyan Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), constituting around 88% of the country.

[3][4] The areas which experienced the worst effects were Northern Kenya, Somalia and Southern Ethiopia, most severely in Kajiado and Laikipia.

[3] Droughts in Kenya have become more frequent causing crop failures and devastation as three-quarters of the population are sustained by agriculture.

[4] Owing to the lack of annual rainfall, the arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya (ASALs) are very susceptible to drought and flooding.

[3] Agriculture supports around 75% of the Kenyan population and accounts for 25.9% of the GDP, making it one of the leading means of sustenance of the country and a significant contributor to employment and food security; on the other hand, droughts caused by climate change have put a strain on agriculture and the country itself to the extent that in January 2009 the Government declared a state of emergency, because ten million Kenyans needed food aid after a poor harvest.

Making sure that children are well-fed is eminent as malnutrition in childhood and pregnancy has many adverse consequences for child survival and long-term well-being.

[8] In Kenya, pastoralism represents a mainstay source of sustenance, providing livelihood, security, and employment opportunities (around 90% of the population).

These responses were eventually unsuccessful due to the increasing number of livestock deaths (it is estimated that over 38,000 cattle died).

[citation needed] The high number of losses also constituted a social implication for the Maasai, who as a tradition measure their wealth on the dimension of their herds.

The first was to keep livestock of mixed-species; in addition to the traditional herd composed by grazers (cattle and sheep) and browsers (goats), pastoralists added donkeys and camels.

[11] Dryness is not the only outcome of climate change: rains have decreased during the long rainy season (from March to May), but have registered an increase from September to February causing an extension of the normal rainfall period (October to December), which, together with growing intensity and strength, has created vulnerability to floods.

[13] It is expected that the annual average temperature of the territory of Kenya will increase by 1.0 °C to 2.8 °C by 2060,[13] with greater effects in the tea production, but a negative impact on crop and maize revenues.

[14] Data showing the actual and predicted mean annual temperature increase is shown for the period 1901 to 2099: The Rift Valley Province is particularly sensitive to climate change.

It is predicted that coastal areas will suffer from rising sea levels from which floods and saltwater intrusions will result, due to the melting of glaciers which will further reduce the availability of water.

[15] Due to the drought animals were dying, some from starvation, others of thirst and many because their weak immune systems could not fight disease or infection.

Consequently, the pastoralists took their herds illegally into the national parks and wildlife reserves, in a search for grazing land and water.

[9] Before the 2008 drought, the Kenyan economy had been growing at relatively high annual rates ranging from 6 to 7 per cent, and it was expected to continue on the same path during the following years.

The population was also facing a high annual rate of inflation caused by rising food and fuel prices, which appeared to affect the poor disproportionately.

The amount of that water in the communities was relatively limited, not even coming close to the MoWI’s suggested standard of 10 litres (2.2 imp gal) per person per day.

ALRMP, which began to contribute to interventions by the Kenyan government,[3] was the only exception to this latency of action by the key members.

In recent years, with the emergence of trained community-based animal health workers, a safer and more advanced control is being opted for.

Specifically, the contributions that made most of the difference and therefore top-ranked in the highest average effectiveness ratings, were funded by international donors.