- The food aid is courtesy of the Rajasthan Association of Kenya.
- Speaking at Torbi's chief office when presided over the distribution of relief food, area MP Wario Guyo lauded well-wishers for their generosity.
Image: ABDIKADIR CHARI
At least 500 households in Torbi, North-Horr constituency received food aid to cushion them from pangs of hunger amid the long dry spell.
The food aid is courtesy of the Rajasthan Association of Kenya.
Speaking at Torbi's chief office when presided over the distribution of relief food, area MP Wario Guyo lauded well-wishers for their generosity.
"The past two years have been tough for the local community members who are predominantly pastoralists. Most of their livestock succumbed to drought," he said.
He appealed for more food aid in order to ensure all the needy families yet to be reached out also get help.
Wario noted that a similar intervention was ongoing across the constituency.
He pledged to continue partnering with well-wishers to seek more help for other needy households that did not benefit from the distribution.
"The drought has led to the loss of their only source of income. Many families cannot provide food for themselves. We are calling upon well-wishers to chip in and donate food to those in need," said the MP.
Wario urged residents to plant more trees saying it is the only major way the region can effectively mitigate the severe effects of climate change,
He asked residents to leverage the ongoing long rain to plant more trees in their homes, workplaces and learning institutions to realize the county and national forest cover.
Image: ABDIKADIR CHARI
"Among many other benefits, trees restore wildlife and biodiversity, improve air quality and conserve water," he said.
The MP urged farmers to adopt the latest technology such as drip irrigation and shed traditional ways of farming to increase crop yield.
"Farmers need to move from traditional methods and use modern farming techniques," he said
Wario said the building of model farms across the region will ensure food security in the hard-hit famine areas.
"Building resilient food systems which include strengthening food systems are better to cope with the impacts of climate change."
Rajasthan Association of Kenya chairman Dr Sonvir Singh said the relief food donation was part of their ongoing campaign to feed hunger-stricken residents.
He said the Association will continue to work with the government and Non-governmental organisations to help hunger residents overcome the worst famine in the county.
Dr Sonvir said agricultural growth response needs a sharp rise in food-grain production to enable the county to achieve self-sufficiency in food grains and stave off the threat of famine.
He encouraged farmers to diversify to higher-value commodities saying it will be a significant factor for higher agricultural growth, particularly in rain-fed areas where poverty is high.
Image: ABDIKADIR CHARI
Joining the calls for tree planting, Dr Julia Mwihaki wanyoike encouraged Marsabit residents to plant more trees to help increase forest cover and combat the effects of climate change.
She urged residents to plant trees which have been depleting due to climate change and added that if every household could plant trees on their lands, it would help conserve and prevent the environment from degradation.
She warned that if residents ignore the conservation of the environment, their livestock will have no pastures and water due to global warming which can be prevented by planting trees.
"Many people look at the issue of tree planting as a government concern and yet it is a concern to all of us to protect the environment for posturing," she said
She further urged residents to help in the restoration and conservation of water catchment areas for steady water provision in the county.
On her part, seed balls Kenya Rebeca Bor called on county residents to conserve and embrace massive tree planting in water towers.
She pointed out that tree planting conservation of the environment was the best way to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
Rebeca said every resident should not be left behind on matters of ecosystem conservation.
Galgallo Abudho, a resident of Torbi called on the government to sink more boreholes and construct a mega dam as a long-lasting sustainable solution to deal with the drought menace.
He said the hunger situation in the area was severe with many families losing all their livestock to drought.
Galgallo praised the well-wishers for their support and called on other humanitarian agencies to help vulnerable members facing food insecurity in the area.
During their visit to Tiigo Academy, more than 3000 different types of trees and 5000 seed balls were planted to conserve the environment and increase climate resilience.