168,000 Garissa residents in urgent need of relief food, NDMA says

At least 168,000 people in Garissa county are facing starvation, a report by the National Drought Management Authority says.

The report presented to the county steering group indicates that the severely affected areas include Lagdera, Ijara, Dadaab and Holugho.

Lagdera deputy county commissioner Philip Koima said on Thursday that the food situation in the four subcounties was dire and they need emergency relief support.

He said the national and county governments will continue to work closely with multi-agency stakeholders to ensure that specific intervention measures are put in place in the severely affected areas.

As part of the intervention to cushion families against hunger, the government in October distributed 7,000 bags of rice.

Severely affected vulnerable groups were also supported with 3,500 bags of beans.

Koima said the government has enrolled the severely affected population in the cash transfer programme. An enhanced cash transfer registration targets 337,000, he said.

According to a September NDMA report, 800,000 goats and sheep, 350,000 cows and 5,000 camels have been affected by the drought.

The administrator said conflicts occasioned by the scramble for fast diminishing resources like pasture and water had been reported in some areas.

On water trucking, Koima said the government, with the help of other state and non-state actors, will provide supplementary livestock feed for the most affected areas to avert loss.

He said that going forward, the military and the National Youth Service will provide logistical support in water trucking.

A check in the subcounties revealed a dire situation, with livestock carcasses strewn all over. Even drought-tolerant animals like camels have not been spared.

“We are also calling on other partners, particularly the county government of Garissa and other sectors like the northern water board, to offer full support and commitment to the programmes that are aimed at addressing the drought in the county,” he said.

In his Mashujaa Day speech, President Uhuru Kenyatta directed the Treasury to allocate Sh1.5 billion to ASAL counties as part of the National Livestock Off-take Programme.

Experts have said the drought situation in Kenya could turn into an emergency should the country fail to receive enough rain in the next few weeks.

The food security and nutrition situations are likely to worsen, requiring the need for expanding humanitarian assistance and interventions.

According to the NDMA, 23 counties are at risk of being food-insecure.

The pressure on pastoralists has intensified due to climate change.

A report by the NDMA said the situation in arid and semi-arid regions continues to worsen by the day.

Last week, Kenya Livestock Marketing Council chairman Dubat Amey called on the national government to release more money to the Livestock department to buy animal feed and drugs.

Edited by A.N