The government requires Sh593 million to feed Makueni residents up to January next year, county drought coordinator Daniel Mbuvi has said.
He said farmers in Makueni are unlikely to harvest anything this season because of severe drought.
The official said many farmers did not plant crops after the rains failed for months.
He spoke during a National Government Service Delivery Committee (NGSDC) meeting on Friday in Wote town. It was chaired by Kathozweni deputy county commissioner John Mbugua.
Mbuvi said the government requires Sh593 million to buy maize, rice, beans and vegetable oil to feed residents up to January 2020 when the next harvest is expected.
He said by July this year, the number of people affected by drought will have hit 300,000 from the current 116,000.
“We shall mobilise for funds. The county government is allowed to set aside two per cent of its budget for such emergencies. Additional money will come from the national government and development partners,” Mbuvi said.
The official said Sh34.5 million is required to truck water to 16 worst affected wards. Mbuvi said the money will also go towards buying 15 tanks of 10,000 litres.
“Some money will be spent to purchase fuel for six months for the 16 strategic boreholes and repairs on some of which have broken down,” he said.
The members heard that Sh7.5 million is needed to deworm animals besides purchasing fodder, treatment, parasite control and disease control starting May to December this year.
At the same time, Sh1.7 million will go towards the livestock off-take programme, creating awareness through radio channels and carrying out disease surveillance.
Another Sh11.7 million will be spent on health nutrition through screening, treatment, purchase of food supplements and vitamin A supplements, especially for children in the remote parts of the county.
Mbuvi said disclosed Sh4.5 million would be required for coordination of activities during the period for the technical working group.
Human-wildlife conflict is expected in Makindu and Kibwezi sub-counties. Awareness campaigns will be carried out through barazas in the affected areas.
Makueni Meteorological Department director David Mutua painted a bleak picture of the expected rains in the county.
Mutua said the occurrence of the two cyclones in the neighbouring countries had never been witnessed in the continent’s history. He said this has affected the pattern of rains that were expected in the county.
“Expect a bad situation because of the tropical cyclones. Things are getting worse. It has not happened in our history to get two cyclones in a year,” he said.
