The drought in Kenya could continue for one more year, as estimated by the National Steering Committee on Drought Response led by businesman Peter Ndegwa.
Horn of Africa facing fresh food shortage
Thursday May 13 2021
A family trudges back home on the borders of Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan in 2019, after escaping drought. PHOTO | FILE
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The Horn of Africa region is staring at food shortages after the delayed start of the long rains in some countries and below-average rainfall in others.
The UN and the government of Somalia have jointly declared drought in the country after officials determined that 80 percent of Somalia had received little rainfall. Usually, much of the Horn considers March to May as a planting season.
However, projections by the Famine Early Warnings Systems Network and the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) and Red Crescent Societies indicate that the situation is likely to get worse as we get into May down to September if the weather situation does not change.
WFP appeals for $74m as drought hits southern Africa countries
Monday May 03 2021
A field is seen next to houses in a village near Lubango in Angola on February 16, 2020. The Huila province in Angola was recently hit by a drought that dried up most water sources and devastated crops across the southern Africa region, where some 45 million people face hunger. PHOTO | AFP
Summary
The UN agency said consecutive years of drought in the south of the country have left at least 1.35 million people in need of emergency food and nutrition assistance.
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On Thursday, the World Food Programme (WFP) listed Madagascar as a new country facing drought.