- There are more than 4.1 million Kenyans in dire need of food as a result of the ongoing drought.
- The government is in the process of expanding coverage of the programme to four counties(Samburu, Isiolo, Tana River, and Garissa).
Image: Courtesy
The British High Commission has lauded the ongoing efforts to help drought-stricken Kenyans while calling for the scaling up of aid.
Dr Richard Erlebach, deputy development director at the British High Commission Nairobi, recently visited some of the areas hard hit by food shortage.
There are more than 4.1 million Kenyans in dire need of food due to the ongoing drought.
This includes 942,000 children that are affected across the Northern counties, leaving them in dire need of food and treatment.
Erlebach said there is an urgent need to expand Hunger Safety Net Programme coverage and other shock-responsive social protection systems to enable marginalised people to cope with the effects of drought.
“I was humbled to see the amazing work of a health outreach team in Turkana West and in the International Rescue Committee hospital in Kakuma when I visited this week," he said.
"The number of malnourished children is increasing in Turkana and across the North and North-East Kenya as a result of the ongoing drought.
“This visit was a great reminder of the challenges of desertification and drought and the need for government, development partners and civil society to do more to address these critical issues.”
Erlebach said the UK has invested heavily over the years in helping Kenya to build a shock-responsive social protection system that can reach the poorest and most vulnerable in times of drought.
He said the HSNP operates in the four counties of Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir, and Mandera and reaches 100,000 households (approximately 600,000 people) with regular bi-monthly cash transfers of Sh 5,400 per family.
This money is used by the households to meet their most acute needs such as food, water, medical care, and education.
In times of drought, the programme can expand to an additional 275,000 households (1.6 million people).
The government is in the process of expanding coverage of the programme to four counties(Samburu, Isiolo, Tana River, and Garissa).
“HSNP remains Kenya’s most efficient tool to deliver lifeline income support to vulnerable households. Needs are increasing as drought persists and we encourage all partners to ensure more resources are made available,” he said.
Earlier this year when the UK’s Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford visited, she announced a £17million (Sh2.3 billion) to tackle the impact of drought and flooding in East Africa.
In Kenya, we’ve provided £1.5 million (Sh210Million) to Unicef to scale up emergency nutrition services in 10 worst affected counties reaching nearly 30,000 malnourished children.
During COP26 in Glasgow, the UK led negotiations on the historic agreement which saw climate finance for adaptation programmes doubled and a landmark common emissions reduction timetable agreed.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)