Category County News

Over 130 households affected by drought today received relief food under the County Government’s ongoing Relief food drive.

Lack of rain has exacerbated drought conditions, resulting in poor to no harvests for Lamu’s small-holder farmers and water and vegetation scarcity for the livestock herding communities.

According to the National Drought Management Authority’s (NDMA) drought report for July 2021, Lamu is among 12 counties currently under drought high alert.
Lamu County has recently increased water trucking services in villages experiencing severe water shortages in order to ensure an uninterrupted supply of water to affected residents, livestock, and wildlife watering areas.

The exercise in Pangani Village was spearheaded by Lamu county Chief of Staff, Mohamed Bute, CECM for the Public Service Management and Administration, Abdu Godana, CECM for Trade, Tourism, Enterprise Development and Industrialization
Musembi Mutei, Youth Co-ordinater, Mr. Mr Fumo, among a host of other county officials.

According to NDMA projections, food insecurity is expected to prevail from July to December 2021, with approximately 1,913,265 individuals in marginal agricultural and pastoral communities in need of aid.

For more information contact
Lamu County Communications Office at: info@lamu.go.ke

Over 70 households in Pangani Maweni and 95 households in Pangani Timboni today received relief food stuff to cushion them against the ongoing drought.

The ongoing initiative aims to distribute an estimated 400 tonnes of food to at least 32,000 vulnerable households in the County’s ten wards that are in urgent need of food.

Governor Fahim Twaha this afternoon led county officials in relief food distribution exercise in Kitumbini Village Witu ward .

Over 270 households in Kitumbini today received food stuff under the program aimed at cushioning residents against the effects of ongoing drought .

Speaking in Kitumbini, Governor Fahim Twaha explained that, the ongoing food drive operation, which began on Monday, September 20, 2021, will distribute an estimated 400 tonnes of food to at least 32,000 disadvantaged households in the County’s 10 wards that are in desperate need of relief.

Kitumbini residents who are mainly pastoralists have been dealt a big blow after Lake Kitumbini, their main source of water, run dry.

“As we are all aware, our county did not receive adequate rainfall during the last short rain season. Accordingly, most of our farmers had little to no harvests, our dams and seasonal lakes did not collect any water and most of our grazing land did not grow any pasture for our livestock,” said Governor Fahim.

Lack of rain has exacerbated drought conditions, resulting in poor to no harvests for Lamu’s small-holder farmers and water and vegetation scarcity for the livestock herding communities.

Marsabit, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Samburu, Kitui, Isiolo, and Laikipia are among the twelve (12) counties on high alert, according to the National Drought Management Authority’s (NDMA) drought report for July 2021.

For more information contact the Lamu County Communications Office at: info@lamu.go.ke.

Lamu County Government is in the process of purchasing ten new fully equipped tractors to aid in food production.

The tractors will be part of the county’s subsidized farm mechanization program, which will bill farmers in the 10 wards Sh1,000 to plough one acre.

The plan, according to Governor Fahim Twaha, will save farmers between Sh1,000 and Sh1500 per acre as compared to private tractor owners who charge between Sh2,000 and Sh2500 per acre.

In comparison to the 8,000 acres ploughed by an existing fleet of nine tractors, the new tractors will help plough an additional 20,000 acres per year.

The Governor was speaking during the ongoing County Relief Food Distribution Program in Soroko Area, Witu Ward, where he assisted in the distribution of food to over 250 households.

“While wealthy farmers can hire private owners to provide tractor services, there is a commercial justification for subsidizing ploughing for the bulk of our farmers since the more acres ploughed, the more we can stabilize the status of food security. This would also assist to attract more young people to farming and boost efficiency by minimizing menial labor, “Governor Fahim stated.

Governor Fahim also affirmed that the county will continue to distribute certified seeds to farmers around the county in order to reduce production costs even more.

The continuing food drive operation, which began on Monday, September 20, 2021, aims to give an estimated 400 tonnes of food to at least 32,000 disadvantaged households in the County’s 10 wards that are in desperate need of relief.

The project has already impacted residents in Moa, Witu, Chalaluma, Kasakakairu, Nagele, Chira, and Dide Waride. Later this week, the project will gradually expand to additional wards.

For more information contact the Lamu County Communications Office at: info@lamu.go.ke.

Over 1,000 households from Maisha Masha, Lumshi, Jipendeni and Amkeni Villages in Witu Ward, Lamu West Constituency, have today recieved relief food in an ongoing countywide relief food distribution drive.

The intiative which was launched earlier this week by Lamu Governor Fahim Twaha, seeks to cushion over 32,000 vulnerable households that are in urgent need of food across the 10 wards in the county.

The residents, mainly small scale farmers appealed to the county government to issue them with more certified seeds and subsidized tractor services this season. The lack of rain this year has resulted in poor to no harvests, and no income or food for farmers whose produce is exported to neighboring county.

400 tones of food are set to be distributed in all 10 wards across the county. The initiative has successfully, covered villages of Moa, Chalaluma, Kasakakairu, Nagele, Chira, Dide Waride, Sende Mke, Nairobi Area, Panda Nguo, Soroko, Rehema, Maisha Masha, Boko, Jipendeni, Amkeni among others. The exercise is expected to expand to the remaining wards.

For more information contact
Lamu County Communications Office at: info@lamu.go.ke

Over 500 residents in Boko village Witu ward (over 150 households) have benefited under the County’s relief food drive.

Addressing Boko village residents, who are mainly small holder farmers, Governor Fahim Twaha assured them of County Government’s continued support in agriculture to increase food production.

“We are in the process of purchasing ten new fully equipped tractors. This will increase the efficiency and accessibility of County tractor services, as well as aid in increasing food production.
The tractors will be part of the county’s subsidized farm mechanization program, which will bill farmers in the 10 wards Sh1,000 to plow one acre. We will also continue issuing certified seeds to all farmers to cut your production costs even further “he said

Governor Twaha encouraged the residents to also take advantage of the NHIF medical cover to access free medical services. He promised to initiate the registration process to cover those families that are yet to register.

Over 400 tones of relief food will be distributed to over 32,000 grappling with the effects of the current drought across the county.

With the current drought situation coupled with the forecast of generally dry conditions, National Drought Management Authority eports project that over 1,913,265 people will need relief food between July to December 2021. This food insecurity situation is thus projected to persist till December 2021, especially in marginal agricultural and pastoral areas.

For more information contact:
Lamu County Government Communications Office at info@lamu.go.ke

Governor Fahim Twaha today led relief food distribution exercise in Soroko area in Witu ward where over 250 households received food stuff as part of County’s initiative to cushion residents affected by the ravaging drought.

Soroko residents who are mainly small holder farmers, have been grappling with the effects of the ongoing drought with poor to no harvest . A situation replicated throughout the whole county as a result of inadequate rainfall during the last October – November-December 2020 short rains and the March-April-May 2021 long rains. Both seasons were characterized by late onsets, below average quantities, and poor distribution both in time and space.

Addressing the residents at Soroko area, Governor Fahim Twaha assured the farmers that, despite the challenges, the county government is determined to improve food production through continued issuance of certified seeds and subsidized mechanization of farms/tractor services for all.

“My government is committed to empower our farmers and ensure food security across the whole county despite the challenges of unpredictable weather patterns. We will continue to issue our farmers with high quality seeds as well as subsidized farm mechanization/tractors services. To increase accessibility and efficiency of our tractor services , we have set aside funds to purchase 10 new fully equipped tractors to ensure that ploughing is done in a timely manner” said Governor Fahim.

The ongoing food drive initiative will distribute an estimated 400 tonnes of food to at least 32,000 vulnerable households in the County’s ten wards that are in urgent need of food.

Governor Fahim launched the initiative in Moa, Witu ward, on Monday 20th September 2021. The initiative is expected to expand to other wards later this week.

According to National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) projections, food insecurity is expected to prevail from July to December 2021, with approximately 1,913,265 individuals in marginal agricultural and pastoral communities in need of aid.

For more information contact the Lamu County Communications Office at: info@lamu.go.ke.

Governor Fahim Twaha took the food distribution for drought response initiative to over 1500 residents of Kona Mbaya/Rehema area in Witu ward .

The initiative that was launched yesterday Monday 20th September 2021 will distribute over 400 tonnes of food to at least 32,000 vulnerable households in the County’s ten wards that are in urgent need of food. The exercise is expected to expand to other wards later this week.

For more information contact the Lamu County Communications Office at: info@lamu.go.ke

Over 1,600 residents of Pandanguo village in Witu ward have today received relief food to cushion them against effects of ravaging drought.

The initiative that was launched yesterday Monday 20th September 2021 will distribute over 400 tonnes of food to at least 32,000 vulnerable households in the County’s ten wards that are in urgent need of food. Over eight villages in Witu Ward have already been covered, with the exercise expected to expand to other wards from Wednesday 22nd September 2021 this week.

The remaining villages in Witu ward including; Sende Mke A,B&C, Nairobi area,Soroko and Rehema(kona mbaya) will also be covered in the course of the day.

The lack of rain has exacerbated drought conditions, resulting in poor to no harvests for Lamu’s small-holder farmers and water and vegetation scarcity for the livestock herding communities.

In the recent past the County Government of Lamu has stepped up water tracking services using water bowsers in villages facing acute water shortages to ensure uninterrupted supply of water to affected residents, livestock and even wildlife watering areas .

For more information contact the Lamu County Communications Office at: info@lamu.go.ke

Governor Fahim Twaha today launched a relief food distribution program that will help drought-stricken residents in Lamu cope with the effects of the raging drought.

The initiative will distribute an estimated 400 tonnes of food to at least 32,000 vulnerable households in the County’s ten wards that are in urgent need of food.

Governor Fahim launched the initiative in Moa, Witu ward, and made distribution stops in Chalaluma, Kasakakairu, Nagele, Chira, and Dide Waride. The initiative is expected to expand to other wards from Wednesday this week.

In response to the situation, he stated: “Lamu, like the other 12 Arid and Semi-Arid Counties, did not receive enough rain during the October-November-December 2020 short rains and the March-April-May 2021 long rains. Both seasons were marked by late onsets, lower-than-average quantities, and poor distribution in both time and space.”

The lack of rain has exacerbated drought conditions, resulting in poor to no harvests for Lamu’s small-holder farmers and water and vegetation scarcity for the livestock herding communities.

The County has recently increased water trucking services in villages experiencing severe water shortages in order to ensure an uninterrupted supply of water to affected residents, livestock, and wildlife watering areas.

Marsabit, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Samburu, Kitui, Isiolo, and Laikipia are among the twelve (12) counties on high alert, according to the National Drought Management Authority’s (NDMA) drought report for July 2021.

According to NDMA projections, food insecurity is expected to prevail from July to December 2021, with approximately 1,913,265 individuals in marginal agricultural and pastoral communities in need of aid.

The Lamu County Government food drive will this Tuesday 21st September 2021 cover the remaining villages in Witu ward including; Sende Mke A,B&C, Nairobi area,Panda Nguo,Soroko and Rehema(kona mbaya) before proceeding to the other wards.

For more information contact the Lamu County Communications Office at: info@lamu.go.ke