The food security situation has been on a worsening trend in the Arid and Semi-Arid (ASAL) counties, attributed mainly to the poor performance of the short rains.
According to the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) at least twelve counties are experiencing drought with residents in dire need of humanitarian assistance to avert death.
In a report capturing the prevailing conditions in the 47 counties, Wajir, Mandera and Isiolo, who rely on cattle for a living, are experiencing hunger owing to a lack of water and pasture for their animals, according to the study, which was backed up by satellite images.
“The deteriorating trend was due to below average short rains… Eldas and Wajir West sub counties are in extreme vegetation deficit and hence in dire need of humanitarian assistance,” it said.
The Hunger Safety Net Programme (HSNP) Operations Manager Boniface Naukot, indicated that the drought had wiped out vegetation in Baringo, Kilifi, Kwale, Laikipia, Mandera, Narok, Samburu, Turkana and West Pokot counties.
“They are in moderate vegetation deficit hence the need for close monitoring and response plans,” Naukot said.
Marsabit county recorded a severe vegetation deficit during the month of January which is a deteriorating trend compared to the previous month, he said.
There are fears that villagers are already losing their livestock due to the extreme drought.
The official stated that they recently completed producing a list of households in need of assistance in drought-stricken counties, stressing that the NDMA is in charge of overall coordination of all matters pertaining to drought risk management.
“We have established committees in place in the affected areas where the communities pick their representatives… these cushions the entire process from potential exclusion or inclusion,” he said.
He noted that one of the committees’ mandates is to remove non-deserving individuals or add those who they feel to be the most deserving.
“We have a confidence level of 95 per cent in our list and even when he took it back to the community, they were able to change only about five per cent,” he said.
NDMA is also responsible for implementing drought mitigation measures, such as distributing food rations to drought-affected households, either on its own or in collaboration with other partners.
The organization, which has offices in 23 ASAL counties, works around the clock, according to Naukot, to give short- and long-term plans on food security, sustainability, and drought management throughout the country.
Three million people in the country’s eastern region, according to the UN, are in severe need of food aid. The international organization also paints a grim image of the region’s food situation, claiming that over 500,000 children are undernourished.
However, certain counties, including Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Kitui, Makueni, Meru and Nyeri received above-average rainfall in January, providing a sigh of relief to residents.
Head of the Africa Department of Malteser International Roland Hansen has raised a red flag over the drought situation in Marsabit County’s North Horr.
“They don’t know what to eat anymore. The small children can’t be provided with milk from the cows and goats and the need is huge,” he said.
As communities compete over scarce pasture and watering spots, the ongoing drought has intensified insecurity in the afflicted counties, with intermittent attacks reported in sections of Isiolo, Laikipia, Baringo, Samburu, and Kerio Valley in Elgeyo-Marakwet.