Kenya Receives $150M in Food Aid from US
The United States government has contributed at least Ksh.16 billion to drought relief efforts in Kenya.
According to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the funds will assist in meeting the urgent needs of approximately 1,300,000 Kenyans.
The additional food aid to Kenya comes amid an ongoing drought that has left over four million people in a dire state of hunger, with the number expected to rise to over five million by June of this year.
After a fifth failed rainy season in the Horn of Africa, cumulative rainfall in the majority of Kenya is now below 70% of the 30-year average, exacerbating humanitarian needs.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide sorghum, maize, yellow split peas, and vegetable oil to families residing in areas where local markets are inoperable.
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In regions where markets are functional, partners will also provide cash assistance to families.
The agency will also support programs to prevent and treat child malnutrition, as over 970,000 children under the age of five are severely malnourished in the United States.
USAID added, “given the magnitude of the current crisis, additional funding will be required to meet anticipated humanitarian needs through 2023.”
President William Ruto has welcomed the announcement, which follows a visit to Kenya by the First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden.
On Twitter, the president expressed his gratitude for the support during the worst drought in the country’s history, caused by four years of failed rains.
“On behalf of the people of Kenya, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the United States government for this generous assistance to those who are suffering from the world’s worst drought due to four consecutive years of failed rains. Water harvesting to improve food and livestock production and mitigate the effects of climate change “Ruto said.
