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Kenya steps up relief food distributions in drought-hit areas

Xinhua, February 26, 2017 Adjust font size:

The Kenyan government said Sunday that it had doubled up relief food rations to feed 3 million people, up from an initial 1.3 million Kenyans under the feeding program.

State House Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu said the government also enhanced water trucking across the country, especially in the 23 arid and semi-arid counties that have adversely been affected by drought.

"We are tackling the drought situation with all efforts available to us, especially under the authority of the National Disaster Response that the president has committed to in terms of how we address the situation," Esipisu told journalists in Kakamega town in Western Kenya.

The government on Feb. 10 declared the current drought, which affected 23 arid and semi-arid counties and pockets of other areas, a national disaster.

It called on all stakeholders to support the government by upscaling drought mitigation programs as the severe drought that is ravaging the East African nation has left over 3 million people in urgent need of food assistance.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned that Kenya was facing a severe drought and with it a rise in food insecurity. Current estimates show over 2 million people are food insecure.

FAO said poor rains in 2016 and drought in 2017 has threatened the food security of some of the country's most vulnerable people.

Esipisu disclosed that the livestock offtake has also been enhanced in all the 23 counties.

"We are buying the cattle as well as procuring goats and sheep. Since body conditions of most of them is not good, the government is slaughtering and giving locals for consumption, and for them to store in traditional ways as dried up meat. We are also supplying this meat to schools in those areas," he said.

Esipisu also assured that development partners such as the Red Cross and UN agencies have continued to support the government in targeting specific vulnerable groups, like the elderly, women and children under five.

"These are being provided with fortified foods. Lactating mothers are also getting fortified foods, including vitamins and energy complements," he said. Endit