EU launches drought programme

The executive commission of the European Union (EU) has approved 3 million Euro (about US $3 million) to set up an Emergency Drought Programme (EDP) for north and central Kenya. A commission statement said the aid was in response to the “sharply deteriorating” drought situation in the region, following the failure of this year’s long rains in many parts of the country. “Reports of lack of access to water and grazing pasture, failure to plant crops, and rising social tension, are all omnious signs of the rapidly worsening situation in many parts of the country,” said Lutz Salzmann, the EU representative in Kenya. “We need to act now to prevent a deterioration of the situation and enable local communities to recover as fast as possible.”

The EDP will support short term non-food interventions based on local community initiatives aimed at alleviating the worst effects of drought and preparing the road to recovery. It said priority sectors included water and sanitation, livestock, health, economic infrastructure and agriculture. The projects will be implemented through non-governmental organisations already established in the worst affected areas. These include Turkana, west Pokot, north Baringo, Samburu, Marsabit, Moyale, Wajir, Mandera, Kajiado, Laikipia, Tana River, Garissa, Ijara, Kitui, Makueni, Mwingi, Marakwet and Isiolo.