An estimated 2.1 million Kenyans face starvation due to a drought in half the country, which is affecting harvests.
The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) said people living in 23 counties across the arid north, northeastern and coastal parts of the country will be in “urgent need” of food aid over the next six months, after poor rains between March and May this year.
The crisis has been compounded by Covid-19 and previous poor rains, it said, predicting the situation will get worse by the end of the year, as October to December rains are expected to be below normal levels.
The affected regions are usually the most food-insecure in Kenya due to high levels of poverty.
Production of maize, Kenya’s staple food, is projected to decline by 50% in the affected regions
Drought puts 2.1 million Kenyans at risk of starvation https://t.co/co1YMwVcjI
— Teresa Anderson (@1TeresaAnderson) September 15, 2021