The government on Sunday announced that it needs more than Sh24 billion to counter the drought that has hit the country since November last year.
State House spokesperson Manoah Esipisu said the state has secured Sh7.1 billion of which it has spent Sh5.4 billion in phase one of its response.
Esipisu said Sh11.6 billion is required in phase two of the intervention, whereas phase three, that ends in April, requires Sh7.1 billion.
The government declared drought a national disaster two weeks, inviting donor community to help in addressing the situation.
"Fifty per cent of the mitigation is through cash transfers so that the recipients decide what to buy. In other areas, we send food rations," Esipisu said.
He added that the drought, mostly affecting 3 million people in 23 counties, has caused a 10-20 per cent increase in food prices.
In response to the state's perceived lack of preparation to tackle disasters, Esipisu said this year's drought has been managed well compared to 2011.
"This means we had learned lessons and built resilience," he said, adding that the state is in talks with Ethiopia over receding Lake Turkana waters.
Ethiopia's plantations and construction of Gibe dam on the Nile river is said to be the cause of the lake's dropping water level.
The situation, according to experts, is threatening the livelihoods of about 500,000 Kenyans.
Ethiopian Embassy in Nairobi has refuted claims that the projects are being implemented without Kenya's involvement.
"The government doesn’t react to things by making noise, but engages those needed to be engaged," Esipisu said.
"We continue with quiet engagements to make sure our water resources are safe," he said.
On the ongoing doctors and lecturers' strike, Esipisu said negotiations to end the same were progressing well with government support.
The talks to end the strike are being carried out between Council of Governors and Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union.
"The strike not out of hand. The question of who employs lecturers, their current grievances and who is responsible is part of the discussion," he said.
The spokesman refuted claims that they had ignored the lecturers strike.
This follows arguments that there has not been an official government statement on the matter.
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