UN warns of food shortage in Kenya

Recent floods may have compromised the country’s ability to feed itself, a UN aid agency warned on Sunday.

In its December Situation Report, the Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha), says many farmers crops were destroyed by the flood waters.

“There is potential for continued food insecurity in the northern and eastern districts which suffered severe impacts of drought much of this year even though worst affected are western Kenya, areas around Lake Victoria, Nairobi, Isiolo and parts of the Coast,” the report says.

Swept away 100 acres

In these heavy rains, 15 people died and some 80,000 others were displaced, according to the Ministry of Special Programmes.

The Ministry further said that so far farmers had lost at least Sh5 million worth of crops in the fields.

For instance, the raging waters swept away 100 acres of crops in Kiboi Irrigation Scheme, after River Yeptos in Baringo County burst its banks.

This means that the more than 200 farmers who had invested in the scheme may lack enough food next year.

The scheme which had collapsed years earlier was rehabilitated at a cost of about Sh8 million.

The warning comes even as reports indicated that damage beyond food security has been realised.

On Saturday, Roads Minister Franklin Bett said the rains had already damaged roads worth Sh5 billion.

Although the Kenya Meteorological Department says the rains might subside in the coming days, the government will have to look for more money to make these repairs.

Relief kits

So far, the Kenya Red Cross Society has provided non-food items for most people in need and the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (Unicef) has been giving family relief kits from Nairobi for 3,250 families.

However, Ocha decried that the damage to roads could again hamper distribution of aid to the affected.