Kenya is set to get a share of Ksh.154.2 billion that has been released by the United States to mitigate prolonging drought and food crisis.
While making the announcement on Monday, July 18, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power stated that the food programme kitty will benefit over 18 million civilians drawn from Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.
"Today I announced an additional $1.3 billion in humanitarian and development assistance to respond to the threat of famine in the Horn of Africa. These funds will provide food aid, address child malnutrition, & more," Power revealed.
US response comes against the backdrop of ongoing Russia-Ukraine war which has seen global food prices soar to record levels with Africa, which heavily relies on the two countries for importation of grain and oil.
Power divulged that the funds would help scale down existing humanitarian crisis in these three worst-hit regions.
According to the United Nation (UN), Kenya is highly affected due to extreme drought conditions and some 3.5 million people are facing severe hunger.
The fund targets key areas including emergency food to respond to the threat of famine, farming and agricultural support to prevent crop and livestock losses, Nutritional support to prevent and treat child malnutrition.
It will also be channeled towards urgent health support, clean water to prevent disease outbreaks often prevalent during drought and support to protect women and children from higher risk of violence.
U.S aid comes barely a week after UK Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs, Nick Dyer, signed a pact with President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Somali counterpart, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to address drought-related effects.
Part of the deal signed was reopening of Kenya-Somalia border to ease movement of goods and services for humanitarian service programmes.
"Welcome news for both humanitarian access and more effective response. As I saw this week displacement and malnutrition are accelerating in the face of the devastating drought across," Dyer explained.
Drought was declared a national disaster by the President in September 2021, with millions of Kenyans facing starvation.
Across the Horn of Africa, the worst drought the region has seen in 40 years is driving governments to the limit, wiping lives and livelihoods.
At least 10 million children are suffering as four rainy seasons have failed in the space of two years – killing livestock and crops and drying up water sources.
This year’s March to May rainy season is likely the driest on record and another season later this year could also fail.
