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Over
the last two decades, Kenya has been experiencing serious sequences
of rain failure in arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) that make up
70 percent of Kenya’s land mass. Floods have not been as
frequent. A complete or partial failure of long or short rains
is likely to occur an average of every three or four years. During
the last 20 years, rain failure in the ASAL has occurred five
times: 1976-78, 1982-84, 1992-94, 1996-97 and 2000. Even though
floods have become less frequent, the 1997 short rain season in
Kenya saw some of the most intense rainfall in 40 years. The ASAL
districts experienced floods in 1970, 1974, 1984, 1991 and 1992,
plus more severe floods in 1997 and 1998. |
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or five times in a decade drought and/or heavy rainfall are likely
to cause increased morbidity and mortality rates among people
and livestock in the ASAL. Pastoralists, the largest land users
in the ASAL, are often forced during droughts to migrate with
camels and cattle to traditional grazing areas in other districts
or neighbouring countries, leaving sheep and goats behind. This
causes acute shortages of traditional food – milk, blood
and meat – for family members left behind (mainly children
and women), leading to widespread undernutrition and high rates
of malnutrition. Additionally, there are increasing cases of health-related
problems associated with lowered resistance to disease arising
from the population’s declining nutrition status, as well
as problems related to the use of contaminated water from drying
water pans. The failure of the short rains in 1995 and long rains
in 1996 not only inhibited regeneration of vegetation, it failed
to replenish water pans and dams, diminishing levels of natural
water sources and boreholes for humans and livestock. The latest
drought severely affected about 4.1 million people. The 1997-98
floods affected populations that had just begun the long process
of recovery from the severe drought of 1995-96. ASAL inhabitants
lost 80 percent of goats, sheep, cattle, and camels, and the area
suffered significant damage to roads, bridges, human settlements,
and other infrastructure.
Crisis Prevention & Recovery
The programme aims at reducing the risks from potential hazards,
ensuring that communities are better prepared to deal with disasters
that may occur and ensuring that when disasters strike, they can
be dealt with efficiently and effectively. New areas of focus
are prevention of proliferation of small arms, peace building
and conflict management The programme also oversees the implementation
of interventions in the area of HIV/AIDS. (...)
More information
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