The food situation in this country is worrying, even though some parts of the country have already marked the onset of the traditional March-April-May long rains season.
All isn’t well after nearly three seasons of failed rains in parts of the country and this could extend into this year, going by the forecasts by the Kenya Meteorological Department that precipitation would be below normal.
Thousands of households are surviving on relief food and more could join the queue for humanitarian support in the medium term if no decisive steps are taken to address the situation.
The rains pounding some parts of the country present an opportunity for farmers and government authorities to reverse some of the suffering encountered by households who had no food and water.
For instance, a major campaign should be immediately rolled out to encourage the planting of fast-maturing and drought-tolerant food crops that would ensure households have supplies despite the projected insufficient rainfall.
This should extend to water harvesting through ponds, pans, and tanks so that the rainfall does not go to waste.
But as this happens, the government must not lose sight of bolstering the national strategic food reserves because the below-normal rains will have a direct impact on food production.
Sufficient funds should be allocated to mop up any available stocks from local farmers in breadbasket areas such as Trans Nzoia. This should be supplemented with imports from international markets because what we produce locally will certainly not be enough given the weather forecasts that bode well for our predominantly rain-fed agriculture.
Importation, however, requires articulate planning because competition for food supplies is stiff globally which impacts availability and pricing. Demand for freight vessels is also tight, which requires upfront planning and booking to avoid bungling shipment schedules.
Planning for the country’s short-term food security must begin now to save thousands of households exposed to food shortages.
