A Sh500 million project has been launched to curb malnutrition in Turkana county.
Bayer, a German pharmaceutical, and non-profit organisation Africare have given the cash to two wards in Turkana to support a farming programme.
The World Health Organization has designated Turkana as an acute food crisis area with high malnutrition rates.
A Unicef status report published in July indicates that three of its four subcounties reported an acute malnutrition prevalence of more than 30 per cent.
Turkana South had the highest at 37 per cent, while the North and Central regions registered 34.1 per cent and 31.4 per cent respectively. Turkana West had the lowest at 23.4 per cent.
Of major concern is that even the two areas that produce food for the county are still grappling with malnutrition. The two wards — Katilu and Turkwel — are privileged as the Turkwel River passes through them, making them conducive to farming.
According to the WHO, a lack of well-balanced diets, including plant-based foods (vegetables, fruits and carbohydrates) and animal-sourced foods (milk, eggs, fish and meat), makes children more vulnerable to disease and death.
Lack of proper nutrition leads to wasting (low weight for height), stunting (low height for age) and being generally underweight. The model of the project emphasises growing crops that provide nutritious foods.
"The programme will not only improve nutrition for pregnant women and new mothers but also infants and young children by improving community-based nutrition and food availability," Bayer vice president Al Mitchell said during the launch of the project on Friday.
"We are hoping to improve nutrition for thousands of Turkana children under five and their mothers through a sustainable educational awareness programme."
Governor Josephat Nanok praised the move, saying it would improve the lives of children and boost household food security. He said 62 per cent of households in the county are headed by women who are mostly dependent on livestock and pastoralism.
"With climate change, livestock has been facing erratic weather change and dying from a lack of pasture," he said.
"Sixty-four per cent of people in Turkana are food insecure and the project will save many lives."
Edited by R.Wamochie
