US Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated $126 million (about Ksh16 billion) in additional food assistance to Kenya as drought continues to ravage most parts of the country.
In a statement on Monday, February 27, the agency said the funds will help meet the urgent needs of approximately 1.3 million people across Kenya.
USAID said it will provide emergency food items such as sorghum, maize, yellow split peas, and vegetable oil for families living in areas where local markets are not functioning.
"In areas where markets are functioning, partners will provide cash-based assistance for families to purchase food staples, which will, in turn, support local economies," USAID said.
"USAID will also support programs to prevent and treat child malnutrition, as more than 970,000 children ages five and younger are acutely malnourished across the country."
Given the magnitude of the current crisis, USAID said, more funding will be required to meet expected humanitarian needs through 2023, and urged more donors to join efforts to fight hunger not just in Kenya but the Horn of Africa at large.
"USAID has acted early and aggressively in responding to the drought in Kenya, providing nearly $310 million in humanitarian assistance in Fiscal Year 2022 alone – the greatest share of all donor funding to date. Yet, the drought response across the Horn of Africa remains underfunded by the broader international community, and needs only continue to grow," the statement added.
"Ultimately, the United States cannot solve this crisis alone, which is why we urgently call on all donors to again step up and provide immediate, generous assistance to help alleviate the suffering of millions of people across the Horn of Africa who face the threat of starvation in this historic drought."
More than four million people are in the grips of a dire hunger crisis, with the number expected to rise to over five million by June as Kenya experiences the worst drought in 40 years.
USAID's announcement came a day after US First Lady Jill Biden completed her three-day visit to the country.
Biden on Sunday called for an immediate rescue mission for hungry children and women during her visit to drought-stricken Kajiado county.
Biden said the hunger situation in the country has reached dire levels and promised that the US will stand to be counted in working with the people of Kenya to ensure none dies of hunger.
During the visit, the US First Lady, accompanied by US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman and several country directors of international humanitarian organisations came face to face with children suffering from malnutrition.
She also encountered emaciated men and women who had lost livelihoods due to the prolonged drought.
“We have seen the situation on the ground. We acknowledge the difficult situation households have found themselves in. We look forward to working with everybody to alleviate the situation,” Biden said.
She was given an update on the drought situation by the USAid head of Emergency, George Ombis, who enumerated the various interventions taken by the organisation.
