More than 239,000 people facing starvation in Baringo
Children collect dropped maize at Kibenos Primary School in Barngo county on March 29, 2022.
More than 239,000 people in Baringo County face starvation and need food aid as a result of the long dry spell, Governor Benjamin Cheboi has said. He urged humanitarian agencies and the national government to help hunger-ravaged locals and prevent deaths and keep children in school.
During Mashujaa Day celebrations at the Kabarnet Museum grounds on Thursday, Mr Cheboi cited weather reports that show the county will see below average rainfall in October, November and December.
“As a county, we currently have a total population of 239,036 people in need of food assistance,” Governor Cheboi said.
“Out of these, 36,856 are receiving cash transfers from our partners. We shall target this population with progressively incremental food support for the next 11 months.”
He added: “We must step up, create synergy, marshal more resources and adopt a more coordinated, real-time and targeted intervention that will guarantee assistance to the vulnerable people in drought-affected areas.”
To achieve the desired results, he said, the devolved unit will collaborate with partners who provide humanitarian assistance.
“Even as we roll out food aid and assistance across affected sectors, I would like to call on our people not to sell their food stockpiles, because projected production is low. I encourage all of us to share with those who don’t have,” he said.
Mr Cheboi attributed perennial food insecurity in the region to erratic weather patterns attributed to climate change.
“There is a need to embrace environmental conservation, adopt restoration mechanisms and learn climate smart agriculture to safeguard our county from the effects of climate change and ultimately create a climate-resilient county,” he stated.
Headteachers in Tiaty recently threatened to shut down their schools because of acute food shortage that is partly blamed on an ongoing security operation.
Roadblocks were erected on major roads as part of the operation launched by the government to crack down on bandits.
Headteachers complained that the operation was punishing the entire population, whose freedom of movement was curtailed by the roadblocks, particularly on the Marigat-Chemolingot road.
This, they said, had prevented them from getting fresh produce from Marigat and other towns.
“The worst-hit are boarding primary and secondary schools. All entry points to Tiaty – Kinyach, Loruk, Tot and Lomut – have been barricaded,” said a school head, who sought anonymity for fear of victimisation.
“If this situation continues, then we have no other choice but to close the schools until normality returns.”
