Global Courant 2023-04-20 19:43:19
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations on Wednesday launched a $2 million drought program in Kenya, Uganda and Djibouti.
David Phiri, FAO’s sub-regional coordinator for East Africa and FAO representative to the African Union (AU), said the program will reach nearly 100,000 most vulnerable people in the three countries.
“The project targets drought-stricken herders and agro-pastoralists who are facing high levels of food insecurity and malnutrition in Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda.
The interventions will combine cash and livelihood packages to provide immediate relief, helping poor households meet their food, nutrition, water and health needs,” he said during a virtual press conference.
Fallou Gueye, an FAO representative in Djibouti, said the drought situation in the country has worsened, the number of people who are food insecure is rising significantly and malnutrition is alarmingly high.
In Kenya, about 30,000 people will benefit from the program, said Joseph Mathooko, FAO’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Unit coordinator. “We will target households in Baringo and Samburu counties with cash transfers, animal feed and animal health services,” he added.
In Uganda, more than 45,000 people in the troubled Karamoja region will be helped by the program, said Micheal Lokiru, FAO’s program officer in Karamoja, Uganda.
The FAO said each of the affected households in the three countries would receive between $50 and $60 a month to mitigate the effects of drought.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, about 47 million people, which also includes Ethiopia and Somalia, are still highly food insecure after four failed rainy seasons.
