Church acts to combat impact of Kenyan drought
-23/01/06
Churches and church-supported
Church acts to combat impact of Kenyan drought
-23/01/06
Churches and church-supported aid workers in south eastern Kenya have launched emergency programmes to counter the drought blighting the region.
The food situation in Kenya is continuing to deteriorate following the failure of last yearís rains, says UK-based international relief and development agency Christian Aid, which is involved in the work.
Hardest-hit are the arid and semi-arid regions in the north and the south east. The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) has been involved in the Kajiado region for many years. It has introduced a long-term plan of crop diversification for the Maasi, who traditionally keep livestock.
Successive poor rainy seasons make it essential that the Maasi adapt to the change in climate. It is increasingly difficult for them to find pastureland for their cattle.
ìThey understand they must changeî, said Rose Muthama, a programme officer with the Anglican Church of Kenya. ìBut it is a slow process.î
She explained: ìThe Maasi have been pastoralists for generations. However, they are accepting change. Education for their children is now very important and this has encouraged them to try farming.î
Most of the Maasi men in Kajiado have left their farms, taking their cattle to search for pastures. The women and children left behind are facing desperate times: there is no milk, the dams are bone dry and prices are rising rapidly.
A cabbage that would normally sell for 25 shillings now goes for 60 and a one-kilo bag of maize, which previously was 16 shillings, has doubled in price.
For example, Sarah Ketipaís husband left many months ago with their cattle in the hope of finding pasture land. She must be in her 70s although she admits she has no idea how old she is. She still keeps goats and chickens in her compound but can no longer afford the prices in the stores.
ìThe government came twice to give us some food but I donít know when they will come back,î Mrs Ketipa said, speaking to a reporter on behalf of Christian Aid.
Behind the house are mounds of natural fertiliser she uses in the fields. The Anglican Church of Kenya encourages the use of organic fertiliser as it is free and does not degrade the soil the way artificial fertiliser does. If the rains come, Mrs Ketipa can sell her fertiliser for 3-400 shillings per lorry load.
Mrs Ketipa is known as the most successful potato farmer in the area. She is hoping the rains, due in March 2006, arrive on time. She is planning to plant maize, beans, vegetables and potatoes.
The Anglican Church is helping farmers to switch to more drought-resistant crops such as millet, sorghum and cassava.
Maize and beans need a great deal of water and as the rains have been so erratic recently it is imperative that farmers adapt to the changes in climate.
But Rose Muthama of ACK admits that it is a slow process transforming peopleís eating habits, as it would be in any culture.
Mrs Ketipaís neighbour, Sentero Ole Nanka, stops by. He has told his three sons to take their 50 cattle to Nairobi, 50 kilometres away, to find pasture as he had heard it was raining there. Things have not been so bad in a long time.
ìIt’s like the drought we had in 1961,î declared Sentero. ìI remember it because it was the first time we had seen yellow maize which the Americans sent as food aid.î
Church acts to combat impact of Kenyan drought
-23/01/06
Churches and church-supported aid workers in south eastern Kenya have launched emergency programmes to counter the drought blighting the region.
The food situation in Kenya is continuing to deteriorate following the failure of last year’s rains, says UK-based international relief and development agency Christian Aid, which is involved in the work.
Hardest-hit are the arid and semi-arid regions in the north and the south east. The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) has been involved in the Kajiado region for many years. It has introduced a long-term plan of crop diversification for the Maasi, who traditionally keep livestock.
Successive poor rainy seasons make it essential that the Maasi adapt to the change in climate. It is increasingly difficult for them to find pastureland for their cattle.
‘They understand they must change’, said Rose Muthama, a programme officer with the Anglican Church of Kenya. ‘But it is a slow process.’
She explained: ‘The Maasi have been pastoralists for generations. However, they are accepting change. Education for their children is now very important and this has encouraged them to try farming.’
Most of the Maasi men in Kajiado have left their farms, taking their cattle to search for pastures. The women and children left behind are facing desperate times: there is no milk, the dams are bone dry and prices are rising rapidly.
A cabbage that would normally sell for 25 shillings now goes for 60 and a one-kilo bag of maize, which previously was 16 shillings, has doubled in price.
For example, Sarah Ketipa’s husband left many months ago with their cattle in the hope of finding pasture land. She must be in her 70s although she admits she has no idea how old she is. She still keeps goats and chickens in her compound but can no longer afford the prices in the stores.
‘The government came twice to give us some food but I don’t know when they will come back,’ Mrs Ketipa said, speaking to a reporter on behalf of Christian Aid.
Behind the house are mounds of natural fertiliser she uses in the fields. The Anglican Church of Kenya encourages the use of organic fertiliser as it is free and does not degrade the soil the way artificial fertiliser does. If the rains come, Mrs Ketipa can sell her fertiliser for 3-400 shillings per lorry load.
Mrs Ketipa is known as the most successful potato farmer in the area. She is hoping the rains, due in March 2006, arrive on time. She is planning to plant maize, beans, vegetables and potatoes.
The Anglican Church is helping farmers to switch to more drought-resistant crops such as millet, sorghum and cassava.
Maize and beans need a great deal of water and as the rains have been so erratic recently it is imperative that farmers adapt to the changes in climate.
But Rose Muthama of ACK admits that it is a slow process transforming people’s eating habits, as it would be in any culture.
Mrs Ketipa’s neighbour, Sentero Ole Nanka, stops by. He has told his three sons to take their 50 cattle to Nairobi, 50 kilometres away, to find pasture as he had heard it was raining there. Things have not been so bad in a long time.
‘It’s like the drought we had in 1961,’ declared Sentero. ‘I remember it because it was the first time we had seen yellow maize which the Americans sent as food aid.’