Kenya: Drought has eroded the country’s natural resources to an extent that they are inadequate for production and support for livelihoods, Environment Cabinet Secretary Judy Wakhungu has said. She said that most affected populations are characterized by widespread acute poverty, chronic food shortages, inadequate social services and harsh climatic conditions resulting from frequent and prolonged droughts. “Droughts have accelerated soil degradation and reduced per-capita food production. In the last decade alone, four major food crises have all been triggered by desertification,” said Wakhungu. In a speech read on her behalf by the Environment Secretary Alice Kaudia during the celebrations to mark World Day to Combat Desertification in Elgeyo, Wakhungu said that desertification; land degradation and drought have adverse impact on the availability, quantity and quality of water resources. Desertification processes have led to massive internal migrations, forcing communities to flee their localities to already-overcrowded areas thereby causing disputes over scarce resources use. Although the government has put in place National Food Security and Nutrition Policy, the quantity and quality of food available, accessible and affordable to all Kenyans, achieve good nutrition for optimum health has remained a challenge. “Kenyans should pro-actively guard against deforestation, charcoal burning and other activities that may endanger water resources and the environment,” she added. National Environment Management Authority (Nema) Director Geoffrey Wahungu acknowledges that the challenge to NEMA and other stakeholders is to save the disappearing rivers due to siltation, stop deforestation, control effects of drought and prevent massive land degradation occasioned by unsustainable anthropogenic activities. The continued loss of very fertile soils in the country because of the increased demand for land occasioning settlement in very fragile ecosystems like in hilly places, riparian areas. Deforestation, and over grazing due to unsustainable livestock husbandry among others are other problems experienced in the ASALs.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 12:54:06 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015