President Uhuru Kenyatta has proposed the elimination of relief food distribution to hungry Kenyans, in favour of cash transfers.
He said relief food is riddled with corruption and wastage and is economically nonviable.
"Sh600 is the overhead cost to feed one person by transporting the actual food like maize. On the contrary, the overhead cost per head in the cash transaction is only Sh27," he said at the ongoing arid areas conference at Amboseli.
Uhuru proposed that government and development partners considerably adopt the cash transfer scheme.
"With the cash, families are more versatile on their needs and choice of food," he added in the speech read by Devolution and ASALs Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.
The President said the government and the World Food Program had already tested a cash-transfer programme to hungry families in 14 arid and semi-arid counties, over one year ending last March.
"This pilot, which cost Sh1.9 billion, benefited 230,000 households, with each receiving a monthly stipend," he said. It was rated as 98 per cent successful.
The move has long been favoured by ASAL counties leaders, who say actual food transfers only benefit cartels.
The President also asked the counties to popularise the Equalisation Fund, because it will be scrapped in 20 years.
He said in the financial year 2018-19, the 14 counties classified as marginalised shared Sh11.98 billion from the fund, with Turkana getting the largest share at Sh1.05 billion.
In the current financial year, 34 counties will benefit from Sh5.7 billion, under a new ‘deprivation index’ developed by the Commission on Revenue Allocation.
"As many of us should be aware, this fund, founded in Article 204 of our Constitution, shall be in operation for 20 years," he said.
About 800 delegates are attending the three-day annual forum in Amboseli National Park to review the development in the 29 arid counties.
Projects being assessed are those undertaken by the county and national governments and development partners.
In his speech, Eugene said delegates discussed food security and nutrition, water and infrastructure and conflict management among other issues.
"A coordinated approach to the ASAL question requires that partners involved in the arid lands are brought together to consolidate development plans in order to guarantee equity, avoid duplication and insure development gains," he said.
The Principal Secretary for Development of ASALS Micah Powon reiterated that the Amboseli conference would boost the visibility of ASALs.
Powon said apart from suffering a prohibitive climate, ASAL areas had suffered from a history of marginalisation from some unfavourable government policies.
(edited by O. Owino)
