FAO, Kenya Red cross heads of organization present newly signed MoU

As parts of Kenya receive rain, the drought is not yet over in certain parts, while others endure a difficult transition following the rains

Parts of Kenya have received varying amounts of rainfall in the past two months but as predicted by the Meteorological Department, some pockets of the country have not received a single drop.  Other affected areas are grappling with transition from a long drought that started as early as August 2016, and have now experienced flash floods or heavy rains devastating their livestock.

It is within this context that The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will guide a joint emergency livelihood response.  The MoU worth close to USD. 690,000 will be implemented in six counties affected or recovering from the drought.  The agreement falls under the “Emergency livelihood response to support drought-affected households” funded by the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

Speaking during the signing ceremony, which took place at the Kenya Red Cross Society headquarters in Nairobi, FAO Kenya’s representative Dr. Gabriel Rugalema applauded the Kenya Red Cross for responding resolutely and early even before the drought was officially declared. He went on to add that some parts of the country had so far only experienced suppressed to no rainfall while where rains had finally come, certain households experienced huge losses of herds due to the shock as well as new grass which lacks the necessary roughage that is required by animals.

“Our responsibility as development partners is to identify the areas that need our help by analysing their vulnerability and providing the necessary support.  The households affected by drought also need to recover and rebuild their herds – however, our intervention has clearly demonstrated that we need to respond fast and more resolutely to avoid the losses that have been incurred so far,” said Dr. Rugalema.

The drought crisis continues to affect counties especially those in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL). The joint response will support agro pastoralists in Samburu, Marsabit, Mandera, Garissa, Tana River and Turkana counties, with facilitation from the respective county governments. It will entail emergency livestock offtake, animal feed distribution and provision of animal health services. The implementation begins immediately and will continue untilOctober 2017.

The partnership between Kenya Red Cross and FAO will provide livestock feed inputs and veterinary drugs to 1,210 beneficiary households (HHs); Animal health services to a total of 10,800 households of which 1,210 will receive animal feed, while all will benefit from treatments and vaccination of 600,000 goats; destocking of 13,224 animals (12,910 small ruminants and 314 cattle) benefiting a total of 6,769 households through cash injection; meat support to a total of 7,507 households through slaughter destocking and provision of Ten tons of drought-tolerant fodder seed to increase local access to and availability of animal feed provided to 1,187 households.

Kenya Red Cross drought intervention and cash transfer initiatives

Addressing participants at the ceremony, the Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary General Dr. Abbas Gullet reiterated the need to persist with interventions aimed at mitigating and reversing the damage experienced so far.

“From where we sit, it is clear that we will be working for the next nine months. Just like in 2011, we may then transition into El Nino which will mean moving from one emergency situation to another with floods expected in some parts of the country when the heavy rains finally fall”, he said.

He called for preparedness saying that the approximate five year drought followed by flooding cycle should not catch the country by surprise.

To date, the Kenya Red Cross call for funds would be realized by up to fifty percent of the close to twenty-six million US dolalrs targeted if pledges are honored. Dr. Gullet went on to add that the organization had largely moved towards cash transfers to assist affected families citing the method as more transparent, faster and more dignified, giving households a choice to buy as they preferred.  The organization has in the last six months reached 38, 858 households and rehabilitated twenty-five boreholes in the country. 

FAO’s partnership will give the organization’s animal destocking efforts a boost with the benefits going directly to the affected communities through cash and meat. The organization has so far destocked close to 10,000 livestock – an initiative which is meant to reduce pressure on the already fragile, drought affected ecosystem and put money in the pockets of the households who give up their animals, while boosting their nutrition as the meat is given back to the community.

Speaking from the experience of Kenya’s 2011 drought, Dr. Gullet said that the MoU’s interventions were timely and crucial as the peak of the worst affected areas back then was in July, August and September before the long rains expected in October.  He assured FAO that the set targets would be met within the short period of the MoU to ensure no further losses.

FAO continues to raise funds for livelihood interventions in the most affected counties, and has appealed to the international donor community for USD 30 million for emergency response in 2017. To-date, this is less than five percent funded, representing a significant challenge to safeguarding the food security and incomes of drought-affected households in the arid and semi-arid areas of Kenya.

FAO and the Government of Kenya recently signed a Technical Cooperation Programme agreement to provide immediate livelihood assistance for vulnerable drought-affected families towards drought response in the country. The main activities of the project include provision of animal feeds (including hay bales and high-fibre ranch cubes) as well as community water tanks in three targeted counties: Marsabit, Kwale and Isiolo. The MoU comes in to boost these efforts. 

Both heads of organizations called for better preparedness in the management of animal populations, calling for water catchment and irrigation methods and alternative ways of farming among other interventions in view of future droughts.

Contacts

Ruth Njeng'ere Lehmann | Communications Officer | Food & Agriculture Organization |Mobile: +254-726-888-084 |Email: [email protected]