Thursday, Jan 19, 2006
International
Drought: millions at risk in Kenya http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/19/stories/2006011902771400.htm
Surplus food is being exported instead of going to those suffering
WAJIR (Kenya): Malnourished children cried feebly in hospital in this drought-stricken corner of Kenya, too weak to even make themselves heard as aid agencies warned that they do not have money to feed millions of Kenyans hit by food shortages.
Information and Communications Minister Mutahi Kagwe announced on Monday that the number of Kenyans at risk from the food crisis had increased to 3.5 million from 2.5 million. The number of districts affected by drought is expected to rise to 37 from 17, just over half of Kenya's 70 districts.
Scarce pastures
At least 30 persons, including 13 children, have died from the food shortage. At least five cattle herders have been killed in clashes over access to scarce pastures and water, according to the international charity ActionAid.
"These new figures show how bad this crisis is becoming,'' said Paul Smith-Lomas, regional director for the international aid agency, Oxfam. "The situation is worse than it has been for many years and the hardest months are still ahead of us.''
The crisis hit as Kenya forecast a surplus harvest of 62,500 metric tonnes of maize. Farmers in other parts of the country were waiting in lines for up to two weeks to sell surplus maize, the nation's staple food, to the national cereal and produce board.
Surplus food in the west of Kenya is being exported instead of going to those suffering in other parts of the country.
President Mwai Kibaki's attempts to distribute food aid have been ineffective because of inefficient distribution and monitoring.
In some places aid has been distributed simply by throwing it off the back of trucks, according to Oxfam.
Government spokesman Alfred Mutua declined to comment on the criticism. Aid agencies do not have money to buy food from districts with surplus harvests to feed those hit by the food shortages, said Peter Smerdon, spokesman of the World Food Program.
"WFP is short of U.S. $44 million now to feed 1.1 million people because of the drought,'' Mr. Smerdon said.
"Without new donations, WFP will run out of food to distribute in drought affected areas by the end of February.''
"Our previous warnings and appeals have sadly received little response from the donors. What is a very limited window of opportunity to avert mass suffering in Kenya is closing very fast,'' he said.
"We don't want Kenya to become another Niger, where in 2005 donation only increased when people started dying after months of appeals for contributions to prevent deaths.''
- AP
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