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Kenya

Address food shortage

Governors in arid and semi-arid areas have issued an urgent appeal for food and water to mitigate acute drought, which they fear might lead to the death of many of the region’s residents. Already, thousands are starving and have no access to medical care.

The governors from Lamu, Garissa, Tana River, and Marsabit want the national government to intervene urgently, saying the situation was likely to get worse. Matters have been made worse by the fact that livestock, which the residents depend on for food and as a source of a livelihood, is dying, adding to the pain and despair.

The leaders’ call demands quick action because, as the Meteorological Department has warned, the country will face prolonged dry weather due to reduced rainfall.

While we urge the government and non-governmental organisations to supply those desperately in need with food, medicine, and water, we expect the governors to lead the fight against hunger by allocating substantial funds from their budgets to alleviate the misery.

Still, the situation calls for long-term and sustainable plans to avert hunger, especially because meteorologists usually give early and generally reliable forecasts that can be the basis for a sound framework for achieving food security. This can help obviate the perennial knee-jerk reactions and crisis management