Herders with their livestock at a grazing field. Short rains experienced in Garissa county is not enough for grass to regenerate into pasture. Photo/Star.
Garissa county National Drought and Management Authority, NDMA coordinator Abdinoor Dubow has said that short rains experienced in the region are not enough to boost the growth of grass.Dubow said pastoralists should wait for the grass to grow into pasture.
“Herders should wait for at least 2 weeks for grass to regenerate into pasture. We hope that the rains will increase to boost the growth of grass,” Dubow said.
Dubow said Fafi, Dadaab and Ijara constituencies have received short rains but Balambala and Lagdera sub-counties are yet to receive rains.
Numerous livestock have died as herders have been forced to migrate to far areas in search of water and pasture.
According to Garissa county commissioner James Kianda, the national and county governments with other stakeholders have intervened to contain the situation including supplying of water to sub-counties worst hit by drought.
“The military is helping in supplying water to Masalani, Modogashe and Fafi areas,” he said.
Kianda noted that relief food distribution and vaccination of livestock to mitigate the effects of drought is ongoing.