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Kenya: Food insecurity deepens, children hit hardest

ISIOLO-MARSABIT, 3 August 2009 (IRIN) - A prolonged drought is aggravating food insecurity and affecting children's education in eastern and northeastern Kenya, say officials.

"...Cases of malnourished children have increased. It is severe in some parts of Mandera [in the northeast] and more than 100 children have been admitted to health facilities," Adan Duakle, an official of the Mandera Rural Agency for Community Assistance, said.

Duakle said many children had also abandoned learning to join their migrating parents, with schools relying on water transported from remote areas.

"Thousands of pastoralists are still migrating to Ethiopia [in search of] pasture and water... more boreholes and wells dried up during the month of July," states a report by the northeastern Marsabit District arid lands resource management office.

Many schools are now unable to provide food under the school-feeding programme, states a similar report from the eastern Isiolo District.

Health centres in Isiolo are struggling to serve patients amid a water and food shortage. Relatives are being asked to supply patients with food, said a resident of the Garbatulla area of Isiolo, Mohamed Wako.

"...We are doing this because of the circumstances and the community understands our plight. Food is, however, given to those without relatives," a local health worker, who requested anonymity, said.

Livestock deaths

Rising livestock deaths in the predominantly pastoralist regions have aggravated the health and nutrition situation.

At least 101,950 animals have died in the past two months while more than 4.1 million cattle and goats are at risk of dying, according to a government assessment.

Local residents, however, say the figure is higher. "Almost all families in Merille and Laisamis [in Marsabit] have either [lost] all their animals or are left with very [few]," said Mohamed Kochale, Marsabit County Council chairman, adding that a rapid government intervention was required.

Merille resident Reuben Lekuton said he had lost more than 102 head of cattle. "...It is meaningless to report that [you have] lost animals because the government does not compensate [you] and the food they give us is very little," he complained, adding that many youth had abandoned pastoralism to work as security guards in the towns.

Some children were also working as maids and porters in order to assist their families, said a resident of Ngaremara in Isiolo, Ewoton Ekwam.

A civil rights campaigner, Mohamed Ahmed, urged the government to find a lasting solution to the crisis as it was likely to keep many children away from school and could add to insecurity.

Dozens of people have died in the region in the recent past as communities fought over grazing land and water.

Rescue package

Livestock development minister, Mohamed Kuti, told IRIN that an emergency government programme to purchase livestock in the drought-stricken region would be launched in August.

More than 300,000 animals, including cattle, sheep and goats, would be purchased to cushion pastoralists from further losses, Kuti said.

Nationally, the number of relief aid recipients has been increased from 2.5 to 3 million, said Kenya Red Cross Society communication officer, Titus Mung'ou.

"A number of factors have contributed to [the] increase [in] the number of people who need relief assistance, [including] the failure of rains, conflicts, loss of animals due to drought, and diseases like cholera," noted Mung'ou.

na/aw/mw

Topics: Children-at-risk, Right to food,