500,000 threatened by hunger

Up to 500,000 Kenyans are facing severe food shortages, and require urgent intervention, according to a recent assessment carried out in four arid districts in the northwest of the country.

The assessment, carried out in February by an expert team of officials from the United Nations, NGOs and the Kenyan government, found that the districts of West Pokot, southern Turkana, Baringo and Marakwet faced high levels of food insecurity.

A summary of the assessment of the region noted, however, that favourable long rains, which usually occur between March and May, should "mitigate losses" by improving access to pasture and water.

To improve the situation, the teams recommended immediate targeted food distributions through food-for-work projects, as well as seed distributions for the worst-affected households, selected through the already established "Community Based Targeting Distribution" system.

The provision of non-food interventions, such as dams, should also be considered in order to help the harvesting of rain water as part of efforts aimed at boosting food security in the region.

"Construction of dams and water-storage tanks, especially in the Barwesa and Salawa divisions of Baringo District and Soy division in Keiyo District, was recommended, and would provide much-needed water around mountains in Keiyo that would facilitate irrigation," the summary said. "Parts of Baringo East were also reported to be in need of water-tankering facilities," it added.