360,000 local foods insecure #kenya

A team appointed by the Kilifi county executive committee member in charge of agriculture Mwalimu Menza has recommended the up scaling of the cash-for-asset programme in the county to avert the looming hunger. The team was appointed in November last year to carry out the short rains rapid food security assessment and it comprised the National Drought Management Authority, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and the Ministry of Health. NGOs working in the county were also included in the survey. Addressing the media in his office yesterday, Menza said at least 30 per cent (360,000) of residents in Kilifi county are food insecure. "These people are in Magarini, Kaloleni and Ganze. We also have similar pockets in Kilifi North and Rabai," he said. "There are 94,000 households benefiting from cash for asset project being undertaken by NGOs. These projects however provide a single meal per day with the hope that the households will cater for the other meals. Now that we have a total crop failure we urge the NGOs to double the provision," he said.