• The counties with the highest number of food-insecure people are Turkana, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Marsabit, Baringo, Tana River, Kitui, Makueni, and Kilifi.
• According to the assessment, the sectors most affected by the drought are food, livestock, water, health and nutrition, education, peace, and security.
Image: FILE
The number of people in need of food aid has doubled from 1.1 million in February to 2.6 million in August, the National Drought Management Authority has said.
A status report by the authority says the situation could reach crisis levels by September unless efforts are made to contain it.
The counties with the highest number of food-insecure people are Turkana, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Marsabit, Baringo, Tana River, Kitui, Makueni, and Kilifi.
According to the assessment, the sectors most affected by the drought are food, livestock, water, health and nutrition, education, peace and security.
The situation was exacerbated by the poor performance of the October to December 2018 season which increased the number of acutely food-insecure households.
Milk production in most arid and semi-arid areas has declined, leading to increased prices and reduced consumption, the report notes.
In addition, insufficient rains during the season led to low recharge of surface water sources such as water pans, shallow wells, and dams in most arid and semi-arid counties.
“These may last only up to the end of August in pastoral areas and September in the marginal and agro-pastoral areas compared to October normally,” the assessment notes.
Prices of staple foods have been on the rise across ASAL counties since March.
On the fall armyworms attack, the report said that an estimated five per cent of cropped area in Narok, Laikipia, Taita Taveta, Lamu and West Pokot counties were affected.
The armyworm infestation, poor rainfall inability of poor households to buy control chemicals, is likely to lead to reduced harvests in these areas.
Fall armyworm infestation was also reported in the agro-pastoral livelihood zones of Turkana South, Central, and Loima, which affected maize and sorghum.
There were human and livestock diseases reported in various counties.
“1,464 cases of kala-azar were reported in Marsabit, leading to 16 fatalities. The disease was also reported in Wajir (380 cases) and Garissa (9 cases)” the report reads.
The report also states that 211 cases of cholera were reported in Wajir, and 623 cases in Garissa county.
Active cases of cholera were also reported in Kutulo subcounty of Mandera county.
In addition, 10 measles cases were reported in Dadaab subcounty in Garissa, the report reads.
Other endemic human diseases reported are diarrhoea, typhoid, and malaria, with Garissa county reporting a high of 20,284 cases.
Foot and mouth disease outbreak was also confirmed in Samburu North, leading to quarantine by the county department of veterinary services.
Interventions
In April, the National Treasury approved a supplementary budget of Sh1.9 billion for a drought response during January to April period.
Sh602 million was allocated for food and safety nets, Sh600 million for household irrigation water storage programme, and Sh650 million on the provision of strategic water facilities, maintenance, and rehabilitation.
The government, through the Hunger Safety Net Programme implemented by NDMA made bi-monthly transfers of Sh5,400 to 97,770 most vulnerable beneficiary households in Wajir, Turkana, Mandera, and Marsabit.
A total of Sh2.2 billion was disbursed between January and June.
A further Sh395.3 million emergency cash transfers were paid to 38,014 additional drought vulnerable households in Wajir, Mandera, Turkana, and Marsabit counties.
With the support of European Union, the NDMA disbursed Sh218 million to Baringo, Garissa, Isiolo, Laikipia, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River.
The money also went to Turkana, Wajir, and West Pokot counties to enhance animal health, maintenance of water facilities, provide fuel subsidies, water trucking and peace activities.
County governments have also supported interventions in some of the affected counties allocating Sh1.2 billion.
Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir, Tana River, Mandera, Isiolo, Garissa, Baringo (Tiaty), Samburu, Kitui, Makueni and Tharaka Nithi Counties are classified in crisis phase.
While 11 counties including West Pokot, Kajiado, Laikipia, Kilifi, Kwale, Embu (Mbeere), Narok, Nyeri (Kieni), Meru (Meru North), Taita Taveta and Lamu are classified as stressed.
(edited by O. Owino)