The United States has initiated a five-year program designed to address the challenges bedevilling the country currently.
Through a joint partnership between the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Office of Food For Peace (FFP), the US will channel in excess of Ksh18 billion into the country to address the problem.
Dubbed Nawiri the program will seek to reduce acute malnutrition in Northern Kenya Counties.
According to the US Embassy website, the aim of the project is to go beyond humanitarian assistance and implement sustainable solutions.
The program will be rolled out in Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu and Turkana counties and will attempt to alleviate the root cause of food insecurity and the challenges that perpetuate malnutrition in these areas.
USAID Mission Director Mark Meassik explained that the ultimate vision of the program was to enable the local population to design their own solutions with support from the program.
“The US government is changing the way we work. We want our programs to be co-created, co-implemented, and co-measured to address problems and solve them at the county level,” stated Meassick during the program's launch in Lodwar Town, Turkana on Friday, March 20, 2020.
A Memorandum of Understanding with the Turkana County was signed to describe the manner in which the county and USAID would work together towards realizing the aims of the project.
The assistance comes in the wake of Kenya's threatened food security on account of the locust invasion that has plagued the country for the better part of the year.
Despite ongoing spraying efforts across the nation, new locust invasion has continued to affect Isiolo, Embu, Laikipia, and Tharaka-Nithi counties.
In North-Eastern Kenya in particular, worry continues to escalate over the rise of hatchlings that have already begun feeding on vegetation, feeding on pasture and threaten to jeopardize food security.
In Samburu, the locusts have destroyed more than 85,000 acres of vegetation.
Farmers have urged the government to spray the pests and compensate those who have incurred losses.
