FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 04/01 - KENYA (27 March)
The 2001 main “long rains” cropping season has begun and the outlook is favourable due to forecasts of normal rainfall in major producing areas. However, the outlook in pastoral areas remains bleak with expectations of below normal rainfall.
Harvesting of the 2000/01 secondary “short rains” cereal crop, accounting for some 15 to 20 percent of annual production, is complete. The unseasonable continuation of the rains well into January helped improve yields. This crop provides the main source of food in parts of Central and Eastern provinces. The main "long rains" cereal crop, harvested last September/October, was sharply reduced by a severe drought. Official estimates indicate maize output of about 1.7 million tonnes compared to 2.4 million tonnes average over the previous five years. The aggregate 2000 cereal production is provisionally estimated at 2.1 million tonnes, 22 percent and 28 percent below the previous year’s crop and average respectively.
The severe drought in 1999/2000 seriously undermined the food security of 4.4 million people and resulted in a massive relief operation. Despite some improvement, the food supply situation is still fragile, particularly in the northern, eastern and north-eastern pastoral districts. The severe scarcity of water and pasture resulted in loss of large numbers of livestock and the process of recovery is rather slow.
An revised Emergency Operation was jointly approved in January 2001 by FAO and WFP for food assistance to the 4.4 million drought affected people, worth US$148.9 million for a period of six months.
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