East Africa Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary, Rebecca Miano has called for increased water trucking and repair of boreholes as drought continues to ravage several parts of the country.
The Kenyan Ministry of EAC is warning that families in the affected counties have continued to trek for long distances in search of water for domestic use and livestock.
Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said the vegetation condition in some counties has continued to deteriorate with the worst hit counties being Marsabit, Wajir and Isiolo.
Miano reveals that even though the pasture situation in some counties has slightly improved, the vegetation is not expected to last long due to migration and a high concentration of livestock in grazing areas.
The three counties are currently experiencing an extreme vegetation deficit while Mandera, Samburu and Kwale face extreme vegetation deficit.
“Pasture and livestock browsing conditions have deteriorated in Baringo, Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera, Marsabit, Narok, Turkana, Wajir, West Pokot, Kajiado and Kwale,” Miano said.
“Consequently cattle and goats are badly malnourished with conditions ranging between fair and poor as a result of long trekking distances in search of water and pasture.”
As a result, the number of animals dying due to drought has continued to be witnessed in various counties including Marsabit, Isiolo, Turkana and Mandera.
The CS said resource-based conflicts have been noted in parts of Burat and Kinna in Isiolo, Tiaty in Baringo and Laikipia North.
Miano said delayed, poor rainfall distribution and fall armyworm infestation, have affected crop production in the food-producing areas worsening the already fragile food security situation in the country.
The data shows 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.
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