Drought-prone areas short of food – FEWS Net

After several seasons of poor rainfall, food availability has deteriorated among drought-affected farm households in Kenya’s southeastern and coastal lowlands, as well as among pastoralists in the northeast, a famine early warning agency said. The USAID-funded Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS Net) said in its latest report on Kenya that the coping mechanisms of people in the affected areas had diminished, and household food stocks were depleted. Rates of child malnutrition were beginning to rise, while livestock prices had declined. "Should the October-December rains be similarly poor, food insecurity could deteriorate to precarious levels," FEWS Net cautioned in its report, which was released on 12 October. Pastoralists in the northwest of Kenya, on the other hand, had experienced a good long-rains season, and household food security had improved substantially, according to the agency. Overall national crop output had also improved and food prices were declining, despite a poor season in the southeastern farming lowlands. In the short-rains dependent agricultural districts of Eastern and Coast provinces, the failure of the 2005 long-rains season - which starts in March or April - coupled with a poor 2004 short-rains season had taken its toll on farming households. The worst drought-affected districts were Kitui, Makueni, Kilifi, Malindi, Kwale and Taita-Taveta, according to FEWS Net. Most water sources in those areas had dried up, and members of farming households were forced to trek up to 12 km in search of water. Water hawking had become a common coping strategy, in addition to increased charcoal production and sales of breeding stock and reduced number of meals per day, the report said. "A favorable October-December short rains season is critical in avoiding a severe deterioration in food security in the southeastern lowlands," the report added. In the eastern pastoral districts of Wajir, Mandera, Tana River and Garissa, the body condition of livestock had declined significantly, as animals sometimes had to walk more than 30 km in search of pasture, browse and water. Declining availability of milk was linked to rising rates of malnutrition among children in the pastoral areas. By contrast, the northwestern pastoral districts of Marsabit, Turkana, Samburu and West Pokot experienced a good long-rains season in 2005, which was reflected in improved livestock prices, declining rates of child malnutrition and higher livestock productivity, according to FEWS Net. The agency said that there was sufficient food for the October distribution to 1.2 million beneficiaries. After October, however, the cereals pipeline would suffer a shortfall of about 40,000 tonnes. All other commodities, including pulses, vegetable oil and corn soya blend should be sufficient through the end of the emergency operation in February 2006. UN agencies and the Kenyan government have already appealed for a total of US $29 million to provide assistance to the estimated 1.2 million people who will need food aid until next February.