East African Community, ASALs and Regional Development CS Rebecca Miano has called for new and bold ideas to tackle the drought that has continued to hit various parts of the country.
Miano spoke during a high-level meeting organised by the National Drought Management Authority and USAID to develop phase two of the ending drought emergencies strategy.
The meeting brought together local and international experts from various sectors to come up with a strategy to address the perennial drought problem in Kenya and the region.
The experts are expected to come up with strategies and a framework to address drought emergencies going into the future.
“For a decade, the Ending Drought Emergencies (EDE) strategy has been in place. Although significant progress has been made, we gear towards enhanced efforts to achieve its goal. Pragmatic interventions remain the anchor towards food insecurity,” Miano said.
He said Kenya has been hit by the worst drought in a decade due to failed rains.
According to the CS, at least 4.35 million Kenyans are in dire need of relief food as the drought continues to bite while 960,000 children are severely malnourished.
Miano said the drought situation remains critical in 22 of the 23 Asal counties due to poor rains from October to December when the short rains season usually appears.
Nine counties have been mapped by the government as being in the alarm drought phase. They include Kilifi, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Turkana, Wajir, Isiolo and Kajiado.
The CS during the last briefing on the drought situation in the country said the delayed and poor rainfall distribution as well as the fall armyworm infestation have affected crop production in the food-producing areas worsening the already fragile food security situation in the country.
