In Kenya, persistent drought is threatening food security for some 31.5 million people, and more than one million face imminent starvation.
Published on Dec 01, 2015
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In Kenya, persistent drought is threatening food security for some 31.5 million people, and more than one million face imminent starvation.
Kenya’s government, looking for about $525 million in supplemental food funds from an already inflation-impacted budget, faces the prospect of feeding its people at the expense of a number of other projects that could improve food security for the future.
Photo by CGIAR Climate
Environmental sustainability is an increasingly important issue in development, as those living below the poverty line directly rely on the water and land resources surrounding their communities. With only 8 percent of arable land and 75 percent of Kenya's workforce engaged in agriculture, Kenyan farmers face growing problems of soil erosion, deforestation, water pollution, and desertification. The recent drought in 2006—the most severe in independent Kenya's history—devastated the country, leaving 3.5 million people with barely enough food to survive. Meanwhile, in northern Kenya, pastoralists have lost their herds to starvation and conflicting tensions are mounting over scarce water resources.
Photo by angela7dreams
Environmental sustainability is an increasingly important issue in development, as those living below the poverty line directly rely on the water and land resources surrounding their communities. With only 8 percent of arable land and 75 percent of Kenya's workforce engaged in agriculture, Kenyan farmers face growing problems of soil erosion, deforestation, water pollution, and desertification. The recent drought in 2006—the most severe in independent Kenya's history—devastated the country, leaving 3.5 million people with barely enough food to survive. Meanwhile, in northern Kenya, pastoralists have lost their herds to starvation and conflicting tensions are mounting over scarce water resources.
Photo by angela7dreams
While global warming may be responsible for Kenya's severe droughts, current farming practices are also leading to the growth of environmental problems. Rampant pesticide use contaminates water resources while food production has declined due to soil erosion. Weaning farmers off of unsustainable methods is a difficult task in any circumstance, much less during times of economic desperation. Farming and daily life are also complicated by sharing the land with abundant wildlife. Human-wildlife conflicts have been increasing as most of Kenya's traditional nomadic tribes are settling onto permanent plots of land and taking up farming. Wildlife is integral to the ecosystem, let alone Kenya's well-known tourism industry. Securing the conservation of native flora and fauna is critical to the region's future on a number of levels.
Photo by angela7dreams
Wildlife is integral to the ecosystem, let alone Kenya's well-known tourism industry. Securing the conservation of native flora and fauna is critical to the region's future on a number of levels.
Photo by eddzis
The solutions!!
Photo by Kerri Lee Smith (catching up)
1. Emphasis on irrigation. Irrigation is the watering of land. In the country we have areas that receive little rainfall. These areas are arid and semi-arid. Sometimes, the areas do not receive rainfall at all. Irrigation can help improve food production whereby these lands can be watered throughout the year so that crops can be grown on them. It has also been proven that irrigation can improve crop yield from 30 per cent up to 200 per cent.
Photo by CGIAR Climate
2. Support for agricultural research. Most developed countries use research to increase food production in their countries. Research means to find out. The government of Kenya can pump money in support of agricultural research institutes. The researchers will come up with ways to improve on food production. In fact, they can come out with drought resistant crops to suit dry areas.
Photo by CGIAR Climate
3. Support for farmers. Farmers work hard to produce food for the country. The government should give loans to farmers and reduce the prize of seeds and fertilizer. The farmers should be educated too on food production.
Photo by CIMMYT
