Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)
9 January 2009
NAIROBI — The number of Kenyans without enough food to eat has doubled to 10 million in the last three months, and the government is set to declare the crisis a national emergency.
The prevailing drought is responsible for the food insecurity.Those affected include 1.5 million children under the school feeding program, 2.5 million vulnerable Kenyans suffering from various diseases (including HIV/AIDS) and orphans and another 2.5 million persons under the category of urban poor.
On Friday President Mwai Kibaki chaired a top-level food security committee meeting at his Harambee House office, attended by Prime Minsiter Raila Odinga and several ministers.
The meeting resolved that the country should begin importing an additional 5 million bags of maize to cater for an expected national shortfall.
According to a dispatch by the Presidential Press Service, an inter-ministerial committee was also set up to immediately start working out the modalities of executing the national emergency that will entail taking extra-ordinary measures to get food to the people. This will involve availing famine relief packages that will include foodstuffs.
Cabinet ministers admitted this week that an emergency response by the government early in December to distribute low-cost maize flour to hungry Kenyans has largely flopped.
At the Friday meeting, it was also resolved that the government will avail an emergency loan of Ksh. 500 million to the Kenya Meat Commission for the purchase of livestock from areas that have been hit hard by the drought.
Quantities of hay are also to be availed to livestock herders in the most severely affected areas. Measures are also to be taken to avail water in areas that are suffering an acute shortage.
President Kibaki told the food security committee that the entire government must focus on the urgency of providing food to all Kenyans after the failed rains in the last two seasons and reduced production due to last year's post-election violence.
The government will continue to import maize duty-free until the next major harvest. In addition, the government intends to boost maize production this year by increasing extension services and availability of fertilizers.
The Ministry of Agriculture has already procured 15,000 metric tons of fertilizer which is being sold to farmers at a subsidized price.
The Ministry of Agriculture, through the National Cereals and Produce Board, has further ordered 40,000 metric tons of assorted fertilizers which will be available to farmers for the long rains. Another 73,000 metric tons of fertilizers will be procured for the long and short rains this year.
The ministry will distribute about 6000 metric tons of fertilizer to poor farmers free of charge. On ensuring provision of low cost seed, the Ministry of Agriculture through the Kenya Seed Company has reduced the price of seed by Ksh 5 per 5 kg.
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