Relief Food: The Anchor May- June 2011

Relief food delivered

to the hungry in Mwala

The government has delivered 700 bags of relief maize and 200 of beans for distribution to families most affected by food shortage in Mwala district.

 The consignments of 90 and 50 kilograms respectively was the first batch for the hungry residents since the prevailing Lanina induced drought conditions started biting in mid April, this year.

 The District Steering Group, which apportioned the rations as per the divisions , announced that the food will

benefit the most vulnerable families only.

 Kibauni and Yathui divisions which are the most affected received the biggest share of 210 bags of maize and 60 of

beans each while Mwala and Masii which are comparatively less affected got 140 bags of the maize and 40 of beans each for distribution to the needy.

 Yathui district officer Ms Vivian Mboga who chaired the DSG meeting in the DC’s office said transport arrangements had been made to deliver the food to the divisions as a matter of urgency from where affected residents will be able to access it.  DSG members concurred that allocation per head be based on the databank which the Kenya Red Cross society relied on during the previous drought.

 Ms Mboga said 70 per cent of the population in Kibauni division was threatened by hunger. She cited Ikalaasa, Ngomano as the most affected while her Mwala counterpart Mr. Joseph Lenkarie mentioned Ngulini, Kyawango and Kibao.

 ‘’50 per cent of residents in the three sub-locations ought to be catered for,’’ Mr. Lenkarie stated. Kaliambeu and parts of Muthetheni location were identified as the more affected, according to district officer Ms Metrin Wafula.

 Ms Mboga said some families would have been going without meals were it not for intervention by certain churches which had been mobilizing resources from faithful to feed the most desperate.

 ‘’Admittedly, there is plenty of food at market centers but some families cannot afford it owing to extreme poverty,’’ the DO sympathized.  To determine the actual number of residents affected by hunger in the whole district, the DSG directed it’s technical Subcommittee comprising the agriculture, livestock, water, education, public health and nutrition to embark on an immediate assessment exercise.

 ‘’The fact finding is necessary to determine the additional people in dire need of food aid and malnutrition levels,’’ the DO noted adding the report would be forwarded to the special programs ministry to ask for more rations should the need arise.

 She said the assessment should be carried out within the shortest timeline for presentation during the next DSG meeting slated for the second week of next month.

 The hunger situation was becoming threatening considering most farmers in the district recorded total crop failure as a result of the failed March/April rains, the committee members agreed.

 District agricultural officer Mr. James Kariuki said the amount of rainfall recorded in the region was inadequate to

sustain crops in addition to the fact that they started late. He gave break down of the amount per station as follows, Mwala 90.9mm, Mbiuni 139.9mm, Kibauni 147.3mm andWamunyu 10.4mm.  ‘’Current maize stocks held by local farmers stands at 14,800 bags [90 KG] which cannot last a month,’’ the DAO stated

in a report presented to the DSG by agricultural extension field officer Mr. Samuel Mburu.  He said the government had pledged to purchase a mobile drier and construct a ware house for maize storage to avert cases of farmers produce being infected by the deadly aflatoxin mould.

 Money for the facilities has been factored under the economic stimulus package, Mr. Kariuki noted.  The DSG deferred a proposal by one of the members to have learning institutions which used to benefit from the relief

rations during the previous drought considered for the current consignment.