Igad ranks current drought worst in decades

A number of issues have conspired to make the current drought worse than it was five years ago.

According to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad), unlike the drought in 2010 which followed a bumper harvest, there have not been good harvests following poor rains.

It also cites that the region is beset by security threats and ban of livestock from the region into the Middle East, which has left pastoralists without cash. The Executive Secretary of Igad, Ambassador Mahboub M. Maalim , said that even the expected March rainfall might fail to come in the affected areas, most of which are arid and semi-arid lands (Asals). “We need to brace up for tougher times,” explained Maalim.

Mahmoud said stakeholders including media players, civil society and development partners need to coordinate if they are going to arrest the biting effects of the current drought situation.He dispelled the notion things have been bad noting that national Governments have put in place programmes that have mitigated the effects of drought.

Total mess

“If the drought we are seeing today happened five years ago, we would be decimated,” he said noting that the drought has totally messed up the rural economy.

The current drought is threatening 1.3 million lives in Kenya, according to the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA). However, United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) said the figure has since risen to 2.7 million Kenyans.

“The prevalence of moderate acute malnutrition in northern Kenya is above 20 per cent and covers four counties --Baringo, Mandera, Marsabit and Turkana and ‘critical’, in West Pokot County,” said WFP in one of its statements.

Kilifi has been identified as having the severest vegetation deficit. Kinango in Kwale and Lamu West sub-counties are also in the severe vegetation deficit band.