Over 1.6 million Kenyans are in danger of starvation if they do not receive immediate food assistance for the next six months, a report released on Tuesday revealed.
The 2015 Food Security Assessment Report lists Garissa, Marsabit, Wajir and Isiolo counties as the worst affected by hunger, and they have been classified as “alarm drought status.”
Nineteen other counties are classified as “alert drought status”. Drought classification measures the seriousness of food scarcity.
The classification starts from normal, graduates to alert, then alarm and the worst is emergency.
The classification starts from normal, graduates to alert, then alarm and the worst is emergency.
“We have not recorded any deaths so far and that is why we are moving quickly to prevent any county or region from reaching emergency drought status which may be characterized by deaths of people,” said Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru during the release of the report at her office in Nairobi.
She added that the government has set aside Sh3 billion to address the drought situation in the country.
“The ministry will continue to provide monthly relief food to counties that are food insecure. In addition, the Hunger Safety Net Programme at the ministry will provide cash transfers of Sh2,450 per month to 70,304 of the most food insecure households in Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit and Turkana,” said Ms Waiguru.
