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.
