State to buy livestock from drought-hit Tharaka Nithi herders
Livestock resting near a dry Gituma River in Tharaka Constituency, Tharaka Nithi County on September 21, 2021. Kenya Meat Commission will buy livestock in the drought-hit region through an offtake programme.
Herders in Tharaka Nithi County hit by the ongoing drought will benefit from a livestock offtake programme by the national government.
Addressing journalists at her office in Chuka town, County Commissioner Beverly Opwora said Kenya Meat Commission (KMC), in collaboration with the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), will buy livestock to save farmers from incurring huge losses through death and malnutrition.
She said the livestock will be slaughtered and meat shared free of charge to the county’s residents suffering from hunger, adding that government officials are already going round identifying the affected areas that will benefit from the programme.
“Kenya Meat Commission will buy livestock through offtake programme in Tharaka North, Tharaka South, Igambang’ombe and Maara sub-counties,” said Ms Opwora.
She said according to NDMA statistics, at least 6,000 residents, especially those in the semi-arid parts of Tharaka and Igambang’ombe, are suffering from hunger.
Cash transfer
But she noted that most of the affected people have been enrolled into the government’s cash transfer programme and have started receiving Sh3,000 each monthly. She said the money is supposed to benefit the entire family and not only the individuals receiving the funds.
Ms Opwora said though there is a big population suffering from hunger, the county has enough foodstuffs sold in almost all markets.
The administrator said though the October-December rainfall did not start at the right time, there is a hope of some harvest after a downpour in some regions.
She urged the residents to avoid crossing swollen rivers, noting that a number of people had already drowned.
