One East African country is preparing for a national emergency following a prolonged drought that has devastated local crops and livestock.
What’s happening?
As Africanews reported, Kenya is in the midst of a monthslong drought that has been worsened by failed rainy seasons and the rapidly changing climate. As a result, more than two million people are experiencing food insecurity and extreme water scarcity.
The National Drought Management Authority placed nine counties in the “alert phase” because of drought conditions. Mandera County was in the “alarm phase,” a step shy of an emergency.
Bishar Maalim Mohammed, a resident of Tawakal village in Mandera County, described the bleak conditions in the region.
“I have lost all my cows and goats and burned them here,” he said.
Why is drought in Kenya important?
The crisis is hitting the arid and semi-arid regions of Kenya the hardest. As seen in Mandera County, this has caused widespread livestock deaths and destroyed crops. The drought has also prompted warnings of malnutrition and even the potential of outbreaks of infectious diseases.
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According to a news release from the NDMA, below-average rainfall during the region’s typical rainy seasons has only worsened drought conditions. Rising global temperatures linked to air pollution caused by the burning of natural gas and other fuels, is known to create higher evaporation rates in bodies of water as well as soil.
This has put pressure on grazing areas and water in the country, increasing tensions among communities and creating the potential of resource-based conflicts.
“In two weeks this water will be finished. We are in a very bad state,” area resident Aden Hussein said.
What’s being done to help the people affected by the drought?
In addition to critical water and food shortages, as well as livestock deaths, locals fear that the most vulnerable in their communities may soon succumb to the shortage.
“Our children are the next ones who are going to die,” Maalim Mohammed said, per Africanews.
In response to the brutal conditions across the country, the government has enacted several response measures designed to bring relief. This includes food deliveries and water truck efforts.
“These interventions form part of a broader, coordinated national effort to stabilise conditions and prevent further deterioration,” NDMA CEO Hared Hassan Adan said, according to the Kenya News Agency. “The measures complement cash transfers under the Hunger Safety Net Programme, alongside nutrition, health, and livelihood support being implemented in collaboration with county governments and partners.”
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