Europe News Desk!! The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) said in a report on Thursday that some 2.61 million livestock have been lost to drought in Kenya over the past months as the crisis worsens in arid and semi-arid regions. The NDMA said about 5 percent of all animals in arid and semi-arid regions account for the population, Xinhua news agency reported. In its February update on the crisis, the NDMA said sheep and cattle were the most affected animal deaths due to starvation in the two worst-affected counties of Marsabit and Kajiado. The drought situation continues to worsen in 22 out of 23 counties, the NDMA said. This is attributed to the poor performance of deficient rainfall in 2022 and four consecutive failed rainy seasons. According to the agency, pasture (fodder) in the arid regions has been completely depleted, a situation worsened by higher temperatures.
Kenya has stepped up drought mitigation responses with Rebecca Miyano, cabinet secretary for the East African Community, Ministry of Arid and Semi-arid Lands and Regional Development, noting that the government has committed 2 billion Kenyan shillings to secure relief food distribution have been issued. Kenya is one of the countries in the Horn of Africa region that has been hit by the worst drought in nearly 30 years, with more than 5 million citizens facing starvation, according to the UN office. The other two affected Horn of Africa countries are Somalia and Ethiopia.
–IANS
World News Desk!!
FZ/ANM