WFP seeks aid to feed hungry Kenyans

• Maize production likely to reduce this year by 28 percent because of the insufficient rains, says report

The World Food Programme has launched an appeal for Sh17.5 billion to enable it provide emergency assistance to more than 3.8 million Kenyans facing starvation over the next six months.

"Red lights are flashing across the country...people are already going hungry, malnutrition is preying on more and more young children, cattle are dying," said WFP’s country director Mr Burkard Oberle at a news conference in Nairobi on Tuesday

"We are currently faced with a huge challenge and are therefore urging the international community to provide us with the resources needed to get the job done."

The appeal comes on the day a new government-led rains assessment report painted a grim picture of the country’s food situation - saying it was likely to deteriorate if urgent measures are not taken.

The report prepared by the Kenya Food Security Steering Group says long rains had failed in many parts of the country, over the last four seasons, sparking doom for the country’s food production. 

For instance, says the report, maize production was likely to reduce this year by 28 percent because of the insufficient rains.

“The long rain season is most important in Kenya, accounting for about 85 percent of the annual average national maize output, which is about 3.06 MT (metric tonnes),” reads the report.

It goes on: “Normally, long rains maize production in Rift Valley, Western and Nyanza is 2.24 MT, which accounts for 86 percent of national long rains. This indicates the importance of these regions to national food security.”

“But because of the insufficient rains, maize production under the 1.24 million hectares is expected to reduce to 1,84 MT, which is 28 percent below normal because of insufficient rains.” 

Similar concerns were also raised on Monday by a number of food security experts who predicted a poor maize harvest, which was likely to compel Kenya to depend more on imports to feed its people.

Mr Steve Collins, the country director of ACDI/VOCA, a US-based group that promotes agriculture, said maize production was likely to stand at 15 million bags against a demand of 35 million bags.