Drought relief efforts heightened

Written By:Carol Kamau,    Posted: Wed, Aug 03, 2011

Northern Kenya is hardest hit by the ongoing drought as the govt. and well wishers struggle to address the crisis The government has set aside 14.4 billion shillings to mitigate the effects of the ongoing drought affecting parts of the country. The funds will go towards expansion of irrigation and water harvesting projects as well as other strategic interventions in arid and semi arid areas. This latest development came as the government and other charitable organizations scaled up relief distribution efforts as the drought situation threatens to get out of control.   The country is currently grappling with one of the worst drought in decades, a famine that has left over 2 million Kenyans in need of relief food. This phenomenon is spreading fast with the United Nations estimating that over 3 million people will be in need of food aid in the next one month. But the government has moved to reassure Kenyans of its commitment setting aside 14.4 billion shillings for strategic interventions. In a statement by finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta, 8.5 billion shillings will go towards expanding irrigation projects, 2.2 billion for water harvesting, 400 million for the establishment of a livestock off take fund, 930 million shillings for other strategic interventions in ASAL areas while a further 2.4 billion shillings will act as safety net to cushion the poor and vulnerable groups. The statement came as the Ministry of Public Health announced the release of 392 million shillings towards fighting malnutrition. The military also joined in the efforts by dispatching the first consignment of relief food by air to the affected districts. The 2 metric tonnes of foodstuffs is destined for Wajir and Mandera districts. But even as the government injected billion of shillings towards mitigating the effects of the ongoing drought, the situation remains bleak in various parts of the country with majority of Kenyans relying heavily on relief food, a situation that professionals from pastoralist regions says can be reversed with the adoption of alternative trends. Meanwhile, the Italian government has responded to Kenya's appeal donating 40 tones of assorted food stuffs worth 20 million shillings. The consignment which was handed over to the Kenya Red Cross society will be distributed to the worst hit regions in the country. The Italian gesture came as donations towards the Kenyans for Kenya initiative surpassed the 100 million shillings mark, this including a donation from a Kenyan policeman who portrayed high levels of patriotism by donating his entire July salary. Shell and BP oil company has also undertaken to fuel Kenya Red Cross vehicles   ferrying relief food to drought prone regions for free.