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Sixty per cent of the IGAD landmass is arid and semi-arid. In Kenya the semi-arid and arid (ASAL) make-up 80% of the land mass. Over 60% of the livestock in the region are found in the ASAL areas and contribute between 10-50% of the GDP of individual countries in the region. The ASAL areas are faced with a myriad of challenges including climate change, livestock forage availability and environmental degradation. During the last drought Kenya lost 2.1 million animals valued at USD 406,153 (KES 52.8 Million). The frequent droughts and reduced productivity of rangelands threaten the sustainability of the livestock sector in the region. The lack of year-round adequate quantity and quality feed supply results in low weight gain and milk production and high greenh ouse gas emission per unit of livestock product. To address the challenge of feed quality and quantity, the performance of improved range grass varieties (Megathrysus maximus variety Siambasa and Cenchrus ciliaris) were evaluated as sole crops or intercro pped with Clitoria ternatea or Macroptilium atropurpureum) at the KALRO centre in Kiboko Eastern Kenya. The experiment was an RCBD with treatments in a 2x3 factorial arrangement. Dry matter yield, proportion of grass/ legume, chemical composition, digestibility and in-vitro fermentation were determined. The DM yield ranged from 3.3 to 5.8 tonnes/ha with the highest in M. maximus mixtures and the lowest in C. ciliaris plots. The proportion of legume in the mixtures ranged from 84-20% with the highest levels in the C. ciliaris mixtures. The improved range grass varieties have the potential to increase forage availability.