Looming food shortage: State should draw lessons fromprevious mistakes

The revelation that more than 1.1 million Kenyans are yet again on the brink of starvation is startling to say the least.

A short rains assessment report released yesterday warns that the crisis could last until the end of August when some farmers will have harvested after utilising the expected long rains. Worse still, the report — whose assessment was chaired by National Drought Management Authority and the World Food Programme — warns that more than 541,000 children require urgent treatment for acute malnutrition. According to the findings, Turkana, Wajir, Tana River, Mandera and West Pokot are in the red, and the foodshortage is evident even in regions that have been traditionally secure.