Agency issues Sh19m for drought response in Garissa

The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) has announced a donation of Sh19 million for drought mitigation programmes in Garissa County as 370,000 households are reported to be affected.

In an NDMA report released in August, the drought situation in Garissa was at the alarm stage due to failed rains in the July-August season.

The report warned that the situation was quickly deteriorating in all the six sub-counties in Garissa.

All surface water sources have dried up, increasing pressure on the permanent sources such as boreholes, says NDMA, adding that the overall food security situation in the county remains critical.

More than 370,000 people face acute food shortages, with the number projected to rise to above 420,000 by December.

The Sh19 million will be used to scale up water trucking to Lagdera, Balambala and Fafi sub-counties, provide 12,000 litres of fuel to subsidise operational costs and buy 5,600 bags of livestock feed supplements.

NDMA board chairman Raphael Nzomo said current drought mitigation measures were running concurrently with the hunger safety net programme under which vulnerable households get at least Sh6,000 every month.

“This is the worst drought situation in the past four decades and it continues to worsen across most of the arid and semi-arid counties. We are trying to find ways in which we can mitigate the same through the support of non-state actors and other well-wishers,” he said.

Mr Nzomo said the agency had received a total of Sh486 million from the European Union in August and that all counties in the arid and semi-arid areas have received their share.

The money is used in water supply programmes, livestock feeding and education, health and nutrition support for the affected population.

Garissa County Commissioner Boaz Cherutich reiterated the national government’s commitment to drought mitigation measures in the county.

He said the government is “keen on supporting all those affected with the current drought situation”.

The Garissa County government appealed for more help from non-governmental agencies and collaborative efforts in mitigating the drought.

“We appeal for more help because the situation dictates so. People are suffering, especially in the rural areas. Livestock are dying and help needs to come our way as quickly as possible because we have started witnessing human-wildlife conflict,” said Deputy Governor Abdi Dagane.

In Mandera County, where at least 439,000 households are staring at an uncertain future due to the worsening drought, Warankara MCA Abdullahi Shukri Ibrahim appealed for immediate intervention.

He said his ward in Lafey sub-county is among the most affected areas in the county.

“We have at least 10,000 pastoralists who have migrated into Ethiopia and Somalia in search of water and pasture because all water sources have dried up in this area,” he said.

He appealed for immediate relief food and water supply from governments and non-governmental agencies.

The county assembly says the education sector has also been affected, with children keeping away from school.

“We have parents who have moved with their children to areas with water for livestock and this has affected their education in my ward,” he lamented.

The Mandera County government, led by Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif, is yet to announce any plan for drought mitigation after a meeting held a week ago with stakeholders in the drought response committee.