Nelly
Member
Close to 1.4 million Kenyans are staring at starvation amid a maize shortage of 5.5 million bags, Government Spokesman Cyrus Oguna said yesterday.
Projected annual production of maize last year was 43.2 million bags against an annual requirement of 47 million bags. This projection was not achieved as the country produced 41.5 million bags resulting in a shortfall of 5.5 million bags.
“The overall food situation in the country is good. However, due to poor performance of the short rains in October to December last year, the national food and nutrition security was marginally compromised. The situation has been compounded further by the Covid-19 pandemic and the desert locust invasion,” said Oguna.
Col (Rtd) Oguna warned that the looming drought and depressed rains might frustrate efforts to combat Covid-19.
Fearing there might be insufficient food to feed Kenyans already facing vagaries of coronavirus and locust invasion, farmers have been urged to take advantage of the long rains to plant more crops.
Majority of those facing starvation are in Mandera, Turkana, Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit and Tana River counties, where the Meteorological department has predicted below average to no rain.
“Some parts of these counties including Marsabit, Tana River, Isiolo and Turkana are already experiencing drought stress,” said Oguna.
Projected annual production of maize last year was 43.2 million bags against an annual requirement of 47 million bags. This projection was not achieved as the country produced 41.5 million bags resulting in a shortfall of 5.5 million bags.
“The overall food situation in the country is good. However, due to poor performance of the short rains in October to December last year, the national food and nutrition security was marginally compromised. The situation has been compounded further by the Covid-19 pandemic and the desert locust invasion,” said Oguna.
Col (Rtd) Oguna warned that the looming drought and depressed rains might frustrate efforts to combat Covid-19.
Fearing there might be insufficient food to feed Kenyans already facing vagaries of coronavirus and locust invasion, farmers have been urged to take advantage of the long rains to plant more crops.
Majority of those facing starvation are in Mandera, Turkana, Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit and Tana River counties, where the Meteorological department has predicted below average to no rain.
“Some parts of these counties including Marsabit, Tana River, Isiolo and Turkana are already experiencing drought stress,” said Oguna.