Droughts are becoming more frequent and prolonged. It is no longer just the lack of water, but all the diseases and deficiencies that this causes in people. There are already three and a half million Kenyans in need of humanitarian aid due to the severe drought that is hitting the country.
The situation in Kenya has turned into a historic food crisis in East Africa. Drought reduces food production and increases disease.
The situation in Kenya
An estimated 22,9 million people are food insecure in Somalia, South Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia and northeastern Nigeria, according to the UN. We already talked here about the declaration of "natural disaster" made by the Government of Kenya on February 10. This alert is considered a disaster, since the country requires external aid to be able to alleviate its problems and deficits. The current drought spans 23 of the 47 counties that make up the country. In addition, it affects citizens as well as livestock and wild animals.
Almost 344.000 children and more than 37.000 pregnant and lactating women suffer from acute malnutrition and need urgent treatment. Only from March to May the number of children with acute malnutrition increased by 32%. Hope is dwindling for people living through this tragedy. The expected rainfall has not arrived. It has rained between 50 and 75% less than expected, and the rains are already scarce. This causes an increase in the food insecurity of the country due to the lack of crops and the death of livestock.
In addition, there is still the month of July and August in which the rainfall will be even lower. This is increased by climate change, which increases the intensity and frequency of droughts, and not only because of the lack of water, but for all the derived problems that it entails.