A Sh6 million (approx. $46,500) project aimed at reviving degraded rangelands in Kajiado County has failed to take off, crushed by the very climate change effects it was designed to mitigate. The ambitious reseeding programme, which provided hope for hundreds of pastoralist families, now serves as a stark reminder of the immense challenge erratic weather poses to community livelihoods.

The initiative was meant to be a lifeline. For pastoralists like Naftali Mopel, it was a long-overdue answer to the invasive Ipomea weed, a plant that has aggressively colonized over three million acres of grazing land since the 1997 El Niño rains. But with most parts of Kajiado experiencing little to no rain this year, the seeds of hope—Maasai love grass and bush rye—never sprouted.

A Gamble Against The Elements

Launched in March, the project was part of a larger Sh200 million investment by the World Bank and the Kajiado County government under the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) programme. The plan involved establishing two 50-acre demonstration farms in Mashuru Sub-County, where community members first cleared the choking Ipomea weed before sowing a mixture of seeds and manure. Ten pilot groups received 300 kilograms of seeds each, a crucial resource in the county's strategy of 'Modulated Pastoralism'—a push for sustainable livestock farming.

However, a recent spot check of the demonstration farms revealed a grim picture: barren, cracked earth where lush pastures were meant to grow. The invasive Ipomea, meanwhile, is seeding heavily in adjacent fields, its seeds scattered far and wide by the wind, noted a dejected herder.

Hope Is Not Yet Lost

Despite the setback, county officials remain optimistic. Environment Chief Officer James Ngugi confirmed that the harsh climatic conditions were to blame but believes the seeds could still be viable. "We have some reserve seeds to disperse in the next April seasonal rains," Ngugi stated, adding that mitigation measures are being put in place to cushion farmers from adverse climate effects. According to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Maasai love grass seeds can remain viable for at least 14 months in the soil.

• **The Enemy:** The invasive Ipomea weed, known locally as "oltiameleteti", can grow over two meters high and smother native grasses.
• **The Investment:** The Sh6 million reseeding project is part of a broader Sh200 million World Bank-funded climate action program in Kajiado.
• **The Goal:** To restore grazing lands, combat the effects of drought, and support the local pastoral economy.
• **The Hurdle:** Severe and prolonged drought conditions prevented the grass seeds from germinating.

The failure of this project underscores a painful reality for Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), which cover over 80% of the country's landscape. As climate change intensifies, with droughts becoming more frequent and severe, such resilience-building projects face an uphill battle, making the future of pastoralism, a way of life for millions, increasingly precarious.