•The country produces 40 million bags of maize compared to 50 million bags consumed per year.
Image: FILE
Cabinet Secretary for agriculture Mwangi Kiunjuri has called upon farmers across the country to consider adopting early maturing crops.
Addressing the media from his office in Nairobi, Kiunjuri said that farmers have to line with the weather which keeps changing.
He has said that normal planting can be interfered by long rains delay, which might lead to poor distribution of water.
“We are advising farmers to plant early maturing crops and any other inputs”
Kiunjuri has said that farmers are already late in planting due to drought, adding that drought might continues for another 2 to 3 weeks.
The CS has also said the government is concerned by the escalating price of unga. Kiunjuri has said that the government has 21 million bags of maize in store.
He said that the country is consuming 4.2 million bags of maize every month in addition to other alternative uses such as livestock feeds and other industrial products.40million bags per year.
Kiunjuri has said that the country is consuming a total of 52 million bags of maize yearly compared to 40 million bags being produced, hence causing a deficit of 12 million bags.
Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa had said on Tuesday 10 that the government released Sh.602 million to help in food distribution within the most hit regions.
Wamalwa said the drought continues to bite 13 counties, worsening the situation.
Wamalwa said the situation on the ground has not changed. He listed the counties of Marsabait, Turkana, Mandera, Wajir, Baringo, Kilifi, Tana River, West Pokot, Samburu, Kwale, Makueni and Isiolo.
He added that 1.1 million Kenyans are facing a serious food shortage, requiring government action to prevent the situation from escalating.
He said they have been working with counties but urged them to use emergency funds to assist those in need of food.