NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 22 – The government on Wednesday flagged off food stuff including animal feeds to drought hit areas as part of a Sh2 billion commitment that was announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta when he declared the situation a national disaster on September 8.
Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said 10 counties are extremely affected while 5 are in the alarm stage.
“This means that the drought is worsening with time. One of the biggest challenges these Counties are facing is lack of water because of failure of short rains in October to December last year and long rains in March to May. We have no water in most of these areas for the animals and residents,” Wamalwa said after flagging off the distribution at Nairobi’s Uhuru Park.
“So today we are here to flag off truck loads of animals feeds that will go to these counties.”
The ministry also received support from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and European Union (EU) who contributed Sh380 million and Sh500 million respectively.
FAO Representative to Kenya Carla Mucavi said over 2.1 million Kenyans are in dire need of food and assured of FAO’s commitment to continue offering support to the government.
“With resources that we were able to mobilize internally and the support we got from developing partners we procured 32,000 bags of livestock feeds just to support pastoralist communities from the most affected counties. As FAO, we will continue to offer our support to the over 2.1 million people affected by drought,” Mucavi said.
Hard hit counties include Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir, Isiolo, Garissa and Tana River.
The government is also offering cash transfers to the most affected residents in the drought hit counties.
On September 8, the government declared drought that is ravaging parts of the country, a national disaster following a meeting between President Kenyatta and leaders from Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs).
President Kenyatta directed the National Treasury and the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government to spearhead mitigation measures.
The drought was declared in 29 counties classified as ASAL areas where food insecurity has been experienced in recent months due to inconsistent rains.
“President Uhuru Kenyatta has declared the drought affecting parts of the country a national disaster,” State House Spokesperson Kanze Dena said in a statement.
Counties classified as ASAL include Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Taita Taveta, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Isiolo, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Turkana, West Pokot, Samburu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia, Narok, Kajiado, Nyeri, Tharaka Nithi, Meru, Embu, Migori, Homa Bay, Nakuru and Kiambu.
Dena said President Kenyatta had directed the two ministries to spearhead government efforts to assist affected households including water and relief food distribution as well as livestock uptake.
The ASALs make up to 89 per cent of the country with approximately 38 percent of Kenya’s population. The ASAL regions host 70 per cent of the national livestock herd with an estimated value of Sh70 billion, but the residents are now staring at a bleak future due to the ongoing drought.
