A. PROJECT BACKGROUND: The catholic Diocese of Kitui (CDK) has targeted 7(seven) parishes to carry out the Livelihood Protection and Enhancement Program funded by Trocaire-Ireland. This was in response to drought that was so severe that many of households lost most of their livestock from starvation and selling to access food items jeopardizing livelihoods of many households.   The program has the following projects; goats restocking, community goat dips, community tool banks/agro vet shop, water projects and poultry for HIV/AIDS affected and infected people.   These project aims at not only reducing the risks and vulnerabilities to disasters of the communities in the catchment areas but also enhancing the livelihoods of the communities in improving their food security through provision of alternatives to food crop dependencies, availability of crop and livestock drugs and the provision of agricultural and veterinary extension services.     The targeted parishes are: Kanyangi, Ikutha, Mutomo, Endau, Nguni, Kyuso and Kimangao and the catchments are Syomunyu in Kanyangi, Mbakoni in Ikutha, Kitoo in Mutomo, Syou in Endau, Mwasuma in Nguni, Kimela in Kyuso and Kamaindi in Kimangao.   B.PROJECT ACTIVITIES/SUCCESS: 1. Livelihood goats restocking project. Seven hundred (700) goats have been distributed to 140 beneficiaries within the seven project sites. Currently we are in the process of procuring improved bucks to be shared for upgrading the local breeding does distributed.     (Above: Goats Distribution at Kitoo- Mutomo Parish)   2. Poultry Project for HIV/AIDS Infected and Affected. Thirty (30) households have been identified from each of the seven (7) parishes: Kanyangi, Mutomo, Ikutha, Nguni, Kyuso,Endau and Kimangao.The beneficiaries have formed groups through which they have elected officials.    Each household has received ten (10) local breeding hens and one (1) cock. The distribution is ongoing.   3. Establishment of a catchments tool banks/agro-vet shop & goat dip Endau parish was identified for the set up of an agro-vet/tool bank shop. The first batch of drugs has been stocked; the remaining batch together with tool bank implements will be stocked later in the month   Nguni parish was selected for the goat dip. The construction has been completed and it will be in operation in a week’s time.   (Above: Community Goat Dip at Nguni Parish)   4. Community capacity building: Collective Marketing Training Group officials have been capacity build on group management skills, record keeping, financial management, marketing, group conflicts resolution. The groups are hence able to keep their cash flow and goats’ production records, conduct market surveys, use their marketer for collective marketing hence better returns on their produce.   Paravet Service Delivery Training Each group selected one person to be trained to offer affordable veterinary services to group members; this was held at Baraka Agricultural College early this year.  Each paravet will receive a starter-kit to aid in the delivery of vet services to beneficiaries.   C. CHALLENGES Despite the fact that the future of food security in arid and semi arid areas lies in livelihood protection and enhancements programs, climatic changes over the last couple of years has led to a decline in the amounts and frequencies of rainfall and an increase in the daily mean temperatures, this has put a very serious challenge in the sustainability and productivities of the goat/poultry projects, there has been a marked decrease in availability and accessibly of pastures, fodders and water plus a marked increase in disease outbreaks for both goats and poultry. Food availability to communities has generally also declined and hence tendencies to harvest immature stocks to cope with the food insecurities.