Pool resources to avert disaster

In 2013, Isiolo woman representative Tiya Galgalo introduced a private members Bill on disaster risk management. The last I heard about the Bill was three years ago when it had gone through the second reading. PHOTO: COURTESY

In 2013, Isiolo woman representative Tiya Galgalo introduced a private members Bill on disaster risk management. The last I heard about the Bill was three years ago when it had gone through the second reading.

The rationale behind the Bill was the creation of an agency that would coordinate all kinds of disasters including drought, fires, disease outbreaks and even problems caused by ethnic conflict. Currently, the National Drought Management Authority only deals with matters of drought and usually gives early warning systems but is not sufficiently funded to ensure eradication of drought in its entirety.

In many parts of the country, we have witnessed a little rain and some light showers. There are indications that probably the rains might not be enough this season. Environmental and economic indicators show there is a high probability of drought in many parts of Kenya.

The price of live animals has started to drop and the amount of rainfall so far is also dismal. In arid and semi-arid land areas (ASAL) such as Isiolo and Samburu, livestock are migrating to neighbouring counties of Laikipia and Meru.

Also, herders from Wajir and Garissa counties have moved into some parts of Isiolo. All this was envisaged as early as July 2016 when the Kenya Meteorological Department warned of the poor performance of the short as well as long rains that was likely to occur this year. In addition to the Meteorological Department’s prediction, the National Drought Management Authority, through its county based Early Warning Bulletin (EWS) of September 2016, had sounded an alarm.

According to the Bulletin, environmental and livestock/agriculture indicators had started to fluctuate outside expected normal seasonal ranges, in the process affecting the local economy. The poor performance of the long rains from March to May 2013 in Northern Kenya has caused pasture depletion, food insecurity, conflicts, livestock diseases and livestock outward migrations.

Most of the surface and ground water sources such as pans, rivers, springs and shallow wells have dried up hence necessitating use of water bowsers in serving the affected areas.

Currently, boreholes and shallow wells are the only available sources of water in the county. The county government of Isiolo for example, has resorted to trucking water to the worst affected areas.

A process that is very expensive and also not sustainable in the long run. As usual most of the ASAL counties will be affected because of their poor preparedness for the impending harsh climatic conditions. These counties are dependent on rain as the main source of water, which is very vital for both human and agriculture including livestock.

Mwangi Kiunjuri, the Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning has given an estimate of billions of shillings required to mitigate the impending drought that is going to affect close to 1.7 million people in different parts of the country. Most counties affected appear not really prepared for this eventuality. In fact, there is still confusion as to who should do what.

Under the old Constitution, the provincial administration used the National Arid Lands Management Programme to spearhead drought mitigation within the auspices of the district steering group. With the emergence of the counties under the new constitutional dispensation, the process has not yet been harmonized.

The county governments appear not to have internalized the concept of disaster management and so the grain silos are not adequately stocked. Ironically, two years ago the ministry of Education advised the World Food Program to reduce its feeding programmes for ECD (early childhood development). Therefore, many children might drop out of school.

Despite the cash transfer support to the elderly, disabled and orphaned families the effect of the drought will still be felt widely. Most of the beneficiaries of this cash transfer programmes are not full time pastoralists but households that are sedentary.

Health and nutrition of people in the worst affected areas will also deteriorate for lack of a balanced diet. In many ASAL areas incidences of insecurity will rise because of reduced social and economic endowments for many livestock keepers. Many people may also resort to poaching and also charcoal burning with the intention of sustaining their livelihoods.

The environmental degradation that results has severe repercussions for the ecosystem and makes the ASAL areas even more susceptible to drought in future due to environmental degradation.

The destruction of trees also causes soil erosion lowering the productivity of the soil. For dry areas, even when adequate rains are received, the dangers of floods and runaway storm waters are also severe. To mitigate this, the national and county governments should form a joint disaster management team.

The old district steering groups should be merged with county government representation to create a county steering group chaired by the county governor. The role of non-state actors and other public benefit organisations need to be emphasised, since they have been part and parcel of the team that shall prepare for any adverse effects of the drought.