The Kenya Red Cross Society has launched a Sh1 billion appeal to aid 3.4 million Kenyans affected by drought.
Secretary
General
Abbas Gullet on Thursday said the money will be spent in nine most affected counties.
The counties said to be the worst cases are Mandera, Garissa, Marsabit, Kitui, Taita Taveta, Tana River, Wajir, Kilifi and Kajiado.
"We are asking Kenyans and international actors to help us assist our brothers and sisters before things become worse."
Noting that Kenyans should not get tired of supporting the needy, Gullet said the call for help is urgent.
"Whatever little you can offer can help," the Kenya Red Cross said adding that the money will be used to provide food, water sanitation, and hygiene.
The Secretary General said the cash will help until the next harvest expected in July 2018.
He said
some Sh12 million will go to health and nutrition, Sh112 million (water, sanitation hygiene) while cash transfers will take up Sh355 million.
The livestock
off-take
programme will require Sh60 million, food distribution Sh44 million and early recovery 420 million, Gullet added.
"We can assure you quality, accountability, transparency and timely delivery of services."
Over 3.4 million Kenyans face death from starvation as a result of an acute food shortage that has hit at least 14 counties.
The appeal comes barely two months after the government froze the Sh90 maize-flour subsidy programme which was rolled out to cushion Kenyans from drought effects.
At least six people have reportedly died in Baringo after weeks of starvation. The local administration denied the claims.
Gullet said they were working on teaching communities how to use agriculture smart farming to mitigate the effects of drought.
He said they launched
the distribution of drought resistant green grams to thousands
of homes in drier areas.
This, he said,
is aimed at economically empowering populations and restoring their dignity which has been tainted through persistent reliance on relief food.
"It is the issue of dignity. Instead of mothers lining up for hours waiting for handouts, where men cannot feed their households, they are now able to farm and get back their dignity."
Gullet said a pilot phase of planting drought resistant green grams in Kitui county has been impressive.
"We bought seeds worth Sh50 million and distributed to 175 households in Kitui last year in October and it was harvested."
According to him, two kilogrammes of the green grams on an acre produce about 180 kgs which farmers are now selling at Sh70 per kg.
He said Red Cross and Meru County will from next week begin distributing 50 metric tons of green grams to 20,500 households.
The relief agency boss said that with the availability of donors, they will extend the distribution to Tharaka Nithi county.
The appeal for aid comes amid concerns that Kenya has continually failed to implement long-term strategies to arrest the recurrent food crisis.
This is despite consistent warnings from several humanitarian organisations including the United Nations.
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