More than half of Isiolo residents need relief food

About six out of every 10 Isiolo residents require relief food urgently, the latest statistics from the Government have revealed.

The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) says 62 per cent of locals in the county with a population of 154,000 people are in dire need of food aid.

The agency also rates it among the top 10 counties hard hit by drought, with reported cases of deaths of livestock and severe cases of malnutrition among children.

Areas most affected include Oldonyiro where livestock have migrated to Laikipia, Sericho, Garba-Tula and parts of Merti.

County Co-ordinator for Drought Lordman Lekalkuli, told food security stakeholders that the drying up of the Ewaso Ng’iro River, the lifeline of pastoralists, had aggravated the situation.

“In places like Oldonyiro and Sericho, there is acute shortage of water and pasture. Food insecurity is widespread, with about 62 per cent of the county’s population being in dire need of relief food,” he told the county steering group.

Schools also lack food as parents have left behind their children in search of pasture and water for their livestock.

He revealed that as a mitigation measure, NDMA will distribute relief food to 11 schools in the most affected areas, where about 500 pupils left behind by their parents will benefit.

Recurrent drought

At the same time, Governor Godana Doyo said his administration will come up with measures to combat recurrent drought to cushion pastoral communities against the effects.

Speaking in Merti on Wednesday, Mr Doyo said the county administration will sink more boreholes in strategic grazing areas usually left for use during emergencies.

“We lose our livestock to drought every year and yet we can plan and mitigate the effects of dry weather. Apart from seeking advice from experts, we also need to do our part by selling some of the stocks before the onset of drought.

“We have set aside some funds for emergency intervention during the drought and also to mitigate effects of the impending El-Nino rains,” said the county chief.

Measures to be put in place include construction of dams to harvest rain water that will also be used for irrigation.

Residents living along the banks of Ewaso Ng’iro River and swampy areas were advised to move to higher ground to check against the massive floods experienced during rainy seasons.

He advised those living along the river to go into farming.