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Nineteen drought-hit counties are gradually recovering thanks to the recent rains, a government agency has said.
According to the latest data from the National Drought Management Authority, Isiolo, Marsabit and Kwale are in recovery phase while Taita Taveta has moved to alert stage.
Most arid and semi-arid counties, however, have been forecasted to experience generally sunny and dry conditions, it said.
Before this year’s long rains, the country had experienced five consecutive failed rain seasons.
As a result, millions of livestock died and millions of people were left desperately in need of relief food.
The NDMA said Embu, Lamu, Kajiado, Tharaka Nithi, Wajir, Samburu, Mandera, Nyeri, Baringo, Kilifi, Tana River, West Pokot, Turkana, Garissa, Kitui, Laikipia, Meru, Makueni and Narok are in the normal drought phase.
“Six counties reported an improving trend in June, while another 15 recorded a stable trend and two counties reported a worsening trend,” the report said.
The monthly report further showed that acute malnutrition had been noted among children below five years and pregnant and lactating women across the ASAL counties.
“The number of people in need of relief assistance stands at 4.4 million and there is a need for provision of food assistance and regular cash transfers targeting food insecure homesteads,” it said.
The NMDA said 74 per cent of ASAL counties had shown improvement in browse and the current pasture and browse conditions were above normal.
“This is a great improvement compared to May and the regeneration is attributed to performance of the March to May long rains,” it said.
Despite the recovery in pastures, the authority noted an increase in livestock diseases in Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Baringo, Turkana, Kajiado, Kilifi, Meru North, Narok and West Pokot.
The diseases include unconfirmed cases of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, pest petis ruminants, and foot and mouth disease.
Further, the authority called for rehabilitation and maintenance of water facilities, provision of water treatment tablets and provision of water storage tanks for roof catchment rainwater harvesting.
“Pastoralists who had left their homes should be facilitated in safe migration to their settlements and the treatment and vaccination of their livestock against emerging diseases,” the report said.
Earlier, CS Rebecca Miano said the government had released an additional Sh2 billion to secure relief food and distribution for affected counties.
She added that NDMA would provide livestock feed supplements and implement water-related interventions with funding from the National Drought Emergency Fund and the European Union. BY THE STAR