Acute grain shortage hits dealers in six dry regions
Workers weigh and pack dry maize in Elburgon Town, Nakuru on September 6, 2020.
What you need to know:
- Other commodities whose availability declined are wheat flour (71 per cent), rice (68 per cent) and sugar (67 per cent).
Other countries that were affected are Somalia and Ethiopia.
Vendors in several counties have reported an 83 per cent drop in availability of maize flour due to the recent locust invasion that ravaged huge swathes of farmland.
The latest market monitoring survey by the Kenya Cash Consortium (KCC) in partnership with aid organisations Oxfam and Concern Worldwide, shows supply of beans has also dropped by 80 per cent in Turkana, Mandera, Samburu, Isiolo, Marsabit and Wajir counties.
Other commodities whose availability declined are wheat flour (71 per cent), rice (68 per cent) and sugar (67 per cent).
“Findings suggest that the desert locust invasion had negative effects on the ability of vendors in Asal [arid and semi-arid land] counties to conduct their businesses, effects that were potentially compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic,” reads the survey.
The data was collected between August 10 and 26 and involved 287 vendors.
Increase in prices
Most common restocking problems sellers reported are an increase in prices (73 per cent), restriction of movement (69 per cent), unusable roads (63 per cent) and a lack of transport (56 per cent).
Others are theft and damage of commodities (15 per cent), shortage (13 per cent), cannot afford to restock (12 per cent) and increased demand (12 per cent).
Some of the coping strategies used by vendors during the locust period included changing business (23 per cent), reducing products (30 per cent), changing suppliers (27 per cent), increasing prices (63 per cent) and not affected (46 per cent).
In December 2019, the desert locust invaded Kenya, causing serious economic and social impact on the pastoralists in northern Kenya.
Affected pasture
Other countries that were affected are Somalia and Ethiopia.
In Kenya, more than 20 counties — including Mandera, Wajir, Samburu, Isiolo, Garissa, Baringo, Turkana, Laikipia, Meru, Kitui, Embu, Machakos, Murang’a, Makueni and Kajiado — have suffered locust infestations.
The invasion affected pasture in several counties like Samburu, Isiolo and Marsabit, raising fears of fodder shortage.
