KENYA* (15 October)
Planting of the secondary short rains crops has started. Weather forecasts indicate that the short rains would be favourable in most parts of the country, but are expected to be below-normal in the pastoral areas of northern Kenya. Heavy rains were recorded in late September in the western and north-western parts of the country raising fears of renewed flooding. Parts of Central and coastal areas have also received unseasonable rains improving water availability in pastoral districts.
Harvesting of the 2004 main "long rains" cereal crops is underway in the main growing areas of the Rift Valley, Western and Nyanza Provinces. The main rainy season (March-May), which normally accounts for 80 percent of total annual food production, has largely been unfavourable resulting in tightening of food supply in most parts of the country. Preliminary estimates for the season were revised downwardfrom 2.3 million tonnes to about 1.7 million tonnes of maize. Prolonged dry spells during the long rains season in Eastern, Coast and North Eastern Provinces have affected large numbers of people. As a result of the tightening food supply situation, maize prices remained high. In September prices were 40 to 60 percent higher than average. Prices are expected to start declining from November.
An Emergency Operation was jointly approved in August 2004 by FAO and WFP for food assistance to about 2.3 million people affected by drought, worth a total sum of US$81 million for a period of 6 months (August 2004 to January 2005).