MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
AusAID
Australia will provide support for emergency food aid for
Kenyan farmers affected by drought in the northern and eastern parts of the
country.
Food security is an issue year-round in Kenya and the country has been hit
by recurrent droughts since the severe drought of 1991-92. Farmers have not
been able to produce enough crops to see them through the current drought and
their animals are too weak to search for water, or to be sold to buy food. Families
in the Rift Valley, North Eastern, Eastern and Coast regions are the worst affected,
with women, children and the elderly among the most vulnerable groups.
Australia will assist farmers in Northern Kenya through the United Nations
World Food Programme (WFP). The WFP emergency operation aims to help over 2
million people by providing food aid in the worst affected districts of Kenya
from February to June.
The Government of Kenya has made a considerable effort to avoid an acute famine
in areas affected by the drought. It provided 12,000 tons of maize to cover
the initial requirements in the affected areas and has also made available funds
to purchase another 15,500 tons. This effort has stretched the national budget
and it would be extremely difficult for the Government of Kenya to sustain this
effort alone.
Over the past decade, drought has forced many farmers to look for work in urban
areas, abandoning their livestock and farms. The number of destitute families
migrating to the urban centres has grown steadily in recent years.
Australia will provide $300,000 through the government's overseas aid program.
Since 1993, Australia has provided $5.3 million to Kenya for emergency and food
aid.
| Media Contacts: |
Innes Willox (Minister's Office) |