In response to recent media reports that prolonged drought and hunger have been ravaging Northern parts of Kenya leading to loss of livestock and lives, Greenpeace Africa Food campaigner, Claire Nasike has said:
“The climate crisis is increasingly becoming hard to ignore. Climate change impacts continue to disproportionately affect people in many communities in Northern parts of Kenya. Livelihoods are in danger; with everything being lost to extreme weather events. We are in a constant cycle of droughts and floods.
“Communities in drought- stricken regions such as Marsabit are in dire need of water, food and pasture. As we approach the elections, Greenpeace Africa is calling on the government and political leaders to wake up, listen to the science and put climate adaptation and mitigation measures in place to end the cycle of extreme weather events.
“The continued loss of lives and livestock speaks volumes about Kenya’s preparedness to respond to disasters. A few weeks back, flash floods occurred in Marsabit claiming lives of locals alongside their livestock. This would have been avoided had proper emergency response mechanisms been put in place. It is time for the County and National governments to work together to protect the livelihoods of the pastoralist communities majorly affected by drought.
“The government and other relevant agencies need to move with speed to increase access to water through the rehabilitation of broken down water points, sinking new boreholes and piping water to the drought stricken areas.”
A recent Greenpeace Africa report, Weathering the Storm, indicates that extreme weather events such as droughts, heatwaves, floods and intense rain are increasing in intensity, frequency and severity across many parts of Africa, gravely threatening human health, food security and biodiversity
