Famine to get worse as dry weather sets in

Famine in most arid parts of the country is expected to get worse as the La Nina weather phenomenon start kicks in.

As early as November, the Office of the Prime Minister had recommended the buying of livestock before they start dying due to drought.

A drought monitoring bulletin from the office shows that livestock had declined sharply by the end of the year and all indicators of food security were negative.

The bulletin recommended that the government increase the allocation of relief food and trucking of water to save people.

“Based on our general overview, the prevailing food security in the region is bad and getting worse.”

A rapid assessment report by the UN for Marsabit area said scarcity of pasture for livestock had reached alarming levels, with cattle rustling and armed conflict on the rise in most of the North Rift.

Residents of Torbi and Forole in Marsabit were found to be drinking untreated water from shallow wells. The worst hit were Bubisa, Diid Galgallu, Turbi and Burgbabo.

In West Pokot where many schools will close, the Prime Minister’s bulletin reported declining nutritional standards among children, deteriorating water and pasture and conflict over pasture and water.

The report says the situation is bad in all arid areas due to poor short rains in October.

Seven months ago, and even last January, the same region was attracting humanitarian aid due to massive flooding as a result of more short rains and La Nina influenced long rains.

Explaining the paradox, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, says those rains did not go far enough to improve pasture that had been under intensive drought conditions for more than three years.

This situation, says the network, has been worsened by poor end year rains.

In its three month forecast ending in December the metrological department confirmed that most parts of the country and north and eastern regions received little rainfall with the current dry spell expected to affect this year’s long rains.

“Key grazing areas in Turkana, Marsabit, Isiolo and other arid areas are without pasture,” says the network. Poor short rains have made the situation worse.

By November, milk production from the regions had dropped by an estimated 50 per cent, with animals trekking for more than 15 kilometres for grazing, which is abnormal in a season expected to be wet.

The report also warns of possible food shortages in Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Mwingi, Mbeere, Meru South, Meru Central, Embu, Tharaka and Tana River, Kwale, Kilifi, Malindi, and Taita Taveta.