Drought crisis deepens in Kenya’s arid areas
As a government agency responsible for drought mitigation in Kenya, the NDMA said in its latest report that 15 regions are in the “normal” drought phase while eight are at the “alert” level.
“The situation has deteriorated in many counties, though the majority are on a worsening trend,” said the NDMA.
The agency noted that most of the counties are experiencing occasional rainfall that would be followed by a dry spell, worsening the situation.
With the arid areas mainly inhabited by pastoralists, NDMA observed that cases of livestock diseases are also on the rise, including foot and mouth disease, lumpy skin and camel pox.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, some 69.2 million people are currently food insecure in the Horn of Africa, with the number driven up by an increase in conflict and climate shock.
