The news that more than two million Kenyans are threatened with starvation this month is hardly surprising. That has become the perennial tale of the country’s growing inability to feed its people.
After a long drought that ravaged the arid and semi-arid regions, with the pastoralists suffering heavy losses from livestock deaths, the rains came and there was some respite. But the drought returned. The alternating adverse cycles have the people in the grip of helplessness and hopelessness. Out of the 47 counties, Turkana, Marsabit, Baringo (East Pokot), Wajir, Garissa, Tana River and Isiolo will need quick interventions to prevent deaths.
The National Drought Management Authority has, in its latest report, confirmed that the number of Kenyans who will require food assistance will hit two million, up from 1.6 million in May. One of the biggest challenges is the unreliability of the rains, which has been linked to climate change. This year, the long rains not only delayed, but were hardly sufficient in most places. The rains, which usually start in March, did not come until late April and were inadequate for food production.
The country can no longer rely on rain-fed agriculture. However, attempts at irrigation farming have been disappointing. The collapse of the Galana/Kulalu irrigation scheme, despite the billions sunk into it, is now a symbol of wanton wastefulness. Some of the schemes have become conduits for siphoning public funds.
Unless more innovative and manageable projects are initiated, hunger will continue to dog the country. Perhaps the time has come to shun the grandiose projects and promote small community and private irrigation schemes countrywide, coupled with a programme to build dams to harvest rainwater for irrigation.
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