Worsening the drought, famine puts more than 2.5 million at risk of starvation

More than 2.5 million Kenyans face hunger due to drought and the country's food security situation continues to deteriorate, said the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA).

The agency, in its latest report, said that the number of people currently facing acute food shortages was 2.6 million, up from an estimated 1.6 million in May 2019 during the mid-season assessment.

Those who need rescue assistance more than doubled from 1.1 million in February 2019, the report pointed out, with warnings that the number could rise to above three million in October.

Populations in arid and semiarid regions (ASAL) face a food crisis or emergency situation, the report said.

The most affected districts are Turkana, Mandera, Baringo, Wajir, Garissa, Marsabit and Sungai Tana, the population of which is predominantly herdsman. Others are Kitui, Makueni, Kilifi and Meru North, which are in marginal agricultural and agro-pastoral areas.

"This means that households in these countries have moderate to large food consumption gaps and the acute malnutrition above is usually the result of prevailing drought or only being able to meet minimum food needs by depleting critical assets or using crisis strategies and emergency response. , "reading the report.


ACUTE SHORTAGE

NDMA also warned that the number of households in dire need of food has steadily increased since August 2018 with the situation worsening in July this year.

The assessment, the Classification of the Integrated Integrated Food Safety Phase (IPC), was conducted between 1 and 19 June, this year in 23 ASAL countries including Turkana, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Lamu, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River, Taita Taveta, Kitui and Makueni .

Others are Embu (Mbeere), Pain (Kieni), Meru Utara, Pokot Barat, Baringo, Kajiado, Narok, Marsabit, Laikipia, Tharaka Nithi, Samburu and Isiolo.

"Analysis shows that the drought and food security situation have deteriorated in most regions of the country, especially given the poor performance of the previous season (October to December 2018)," the report wrote.

According to NDMA, the current situation is caused by a below average start, delayed and poor performance from the long rainy season between March and May, especially in pastoral and marginal farming areas.

This causes low absorption of surface water sources such as water pots, shallow wells, and dams with most sources having a capacity of less than 50 percent.

"This may only last until the end of August in the pastoral region and September in the marginal and agro-pastoral areas compared to October normally."

FOOD PRICE

The report further highlights that staple food prices have risen in affected countries from around 10 to 40 percent between April and July.

This was caused by a decrease in supply because the stock held by various local actors decreased after the 2018 short rain harvest below the average and reduced imports from Tanzania and Uganda.

The first is due to the long dry season experienced in April after planting at the end of March.

There were also attacks by army worms that fell on corn which were reported in about five percent of the area planted in Narok, Laikipia, Taita Taveta, Lamu and West Pokot districts.

"Army worm infestations, coupled with poor rainfall performance and limited ability of poor households to get control chemicals, are likely to cause harvests that are far below average in this area," the report said.

However, the Authority said the government had set up a Drought Command Center and developed a comprehensive drought response plan that covers the entire country as state institutions continue to monitor how the October-December monsoon will appear.

In April