Four years after a historic drought devastated northern Kenya, communities are once again suffering as rains fail and starvation spreads.
Families in Turkana County say the land has become so dry that even wild fruits — which have long helped people survive during hard times — are now disappearing. Elderly residents describe this drought as the worst they have ever seen.
One local woman, 81-year-old Asinyen Akol, said there are no green leaves left, and survival is becoming impossible.
The drought has also killed large numbers of livestock, leaving cattle carcasses scattered across the landscape. For pastoralist families, losing animals means losing their main source of food and income.
The crisis is affecting the wider Horn of Africa too. Somalia declared a national drought emergency in November, and the World Food Programme (WFP) warns that millions are facing extreme hunger, especially children.
In Kenya, aid agencies are struggling. The WFP says over 333,000 people in Turkana need food support, but funding cuts may force the agency to stop helping after next month.
Families are also facing insecurity and violence as competition for scarce resources grows. Kenya’s drought authority warns that repeated droughts are increasing the risk of conflict in areas where dry conditions were once rare.
SOURCE : TRT AFRICA
