Drought threatens Kenya's North East
If it doesn’t rain in the next few weeks, this region will be hit by a severe water and food shortage
Pastoralists in the arid and semi arid Northern Kenya are bracing themselves for possible drought due to failure of the short rains late last year.
Kenya’s Meteorological Department in its current early warning signal states that the rainfall in the arid and semi arid areas will likely be poorly distributed both in time and space and warns of a potential human-human and human-animal conflict over limited water and pasture.
“From what we are seeing on the ground, if it doesn’t rain in the next few weeks, this region will be hit by a severe famine which will spark off food crisis,” warns Enrico Eminae, ActionAid’s Coordinator in the North east region.
Water reservoirs in the vast arid region are already drying up fast due to overstretched demands and high rates of water evaporation.
Consequently, pastoralists are already covering over 120 kilometers, a distance covered in approximately six days of walking with their herds, to water points nearest them.
And even then, the pastoralists are not assured of getting water.
Seventy year old Abdullahi Low travelled for 70 kilometers to Shimbre Fatuma. For the last four days, he has been waiting for his turn to water his animals.
“I traveled all the way to this water point because I knew I would get water for my camels. When I arrived, I was told that I have to make reservations a day in advance for my animals to get water. I am afraid some of my camels will die,” says Abdullahi.
Kenya’s predominantly pastoral northern region in addition to drought and insecurity due to cattle rustling suffers general banditry significantly affecting the marginal farming activities in the area.
As a result of the drought, inter clan wars are already on the increase in various parts of the region as communities scamper for the limited resources left.
“Lack of sufficient water for both humans and animals spells doom for pastoral communities. Scarcity of water for people signals hunger because livestock, their only source of food and income, are at greater risk," says Enrico.
"It also triggers conflict over resources as people from different clans crisscross each others territory in search of pasture and water.”
With insufficient rainfall and limited water sources, most families have already migrated with their animals to neighbouring Ethiopia in search of water.
This has led to poor turnout in schools leading to most boarding schools being closed due to poor sanitation.
“We sounded the warning early enough to both the government and the aid organizations but they directed much of their efforts on the political impasse. We hope something will be done before it is too late,” says Abdul Rahman Mohammed, local administrator for Duduble Location, 80 kilomters from El-Wak.
Takaba water project
ActionAid Kenya commissioned a 200 million litres Takaba Community Water Supply water project with capacity to serve 20,000 people following the most severe drought experienced early 2006.
The project is under a lot of pressure because everybody around Takaba is now relying on the water supply from the project including emergency water supplies to other areas outside the division.
© Melvin Chibole/ActionAid