Govt mobilising more relief food as famine bites
Women carrying firewood walk past a carcass of a cow in Loiyangalan in Marsabit on July 12, 2022. Millions of Kenyans are on the brink of starvation with learners having to study on an empty stomach. Millions are only surviving on well-wishers’ donations and government relief.
The government is working on modalities of partnering with more organisations to mobilise relief food in counties affected by drought.
Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) and Regional Development Principal Secretary Idris Dokota noted that relief efforts by the government will be sustained to prevent the disaster from worsening.
The PS said timely action by the government and partner organisations has saved thousands of starving Kenyans in the counties affected by drought which is at an alarm phase.
Mr Dokota who spoke in Adu area in Kilifi’s Magarini Constituency during the distribution of relief said the national and county government would launch more food support programs soon.
"We will set up food support programs from January next year to address hunger. Our first agenda is agriculture and food security and we want to accomplish that to ensure no Kenyan will be affected by hunger," he said.
The PS added the government would ensure no citizen succumbs to hunger.
“The government has been able to collaborate with these organizations, and today we brought food for 2,860 households. And this is in the spirit of helping each other. Relief food is not the solution to hunger, but today we have come to show our community that the government has not abandoned them but stood with them, and we are together during the festive season,” he said.
According to the National Drought and Management Authority, drought has continued to deteriorate in 21 of the 23 ASAL counties, because of four failed consecutive seasons, late onset and poorly distributed 2022 short rains season, which is attributed to climate change.
In some pastoral areas, food security is expected to decrease, with grazing areas recovering poorly from the long rains, because of higher than normal temperatures on the land surface.
Given the long distances that animals must walk for pasture and water, the animals are emaciated and are earning less at markets.
Owners, who rely on the animals for income will therefore have less to eat.
Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro said the county government would drill wells along the Sabaki river for irrigation farming.
“We are looking for partners to work together to solve the big issue of hunger, and I am glad that the government and other institutions are here about the same issue. The main solution for our people to end hunger is to do farming,” he said.
In Tana River County, where the PS also visited, the official asked residents to use the Tana River in food production to reduce reliance on relief food.
Speaking during a food distribution exercise in Hola, the PS said that it was embarrassing for the county named after its biggest resource to be depending on government relief support yet all its resources lie idle.
"The River Tana pours billions of gallons of water into the Indian Ocean, it cuts across villages and farms yet we can't propagate food, we need to think again," he said.
Mr Dokota noted that the county is fully equipped with land and water, hence should be the country's food basket facilitating the markets in the coastal region.
He said that it was unfortunate that while other counties were exploring other means to beat climate change and enhance food production, residents in the county were acting unbothered by the changing times.
"It is a wake-up call and we must start exploring more advanced techniques related to food production. Next time we should be the ones selling to the government for the sake of others and not vice versa," he said.
The PS further reiterated government plans to expand the water network in the county, appealing to leaders and the residents to support the initiatives on the construction of mega dams.
He said that multi-billion projects will not just ensure water supply in remote villages where pastoralist communities stay, but will also inspire agriculture in respective areas.
"Our people can finally do pasture production for their livestock as well as food for their families. Harvested rain in those dams is a well-thought idea that will improve lots of livelihoods," he said.
The PS also encouraged residents practicing food production to learn and adopt value addition of their produce for better sales.
More than 1,000 vulnerable households gained from the relief food program in Galole and Garsen constituencies.
A National Drought Management Authority report says more than 20,000 households are still in dire need of relief food in Tana River County.
