Since March, East Africa has been experiencing severe rainfall and floods, leading to the submersion of thousands of acres of croplands, which poses a threat of a food shortage in the region, as indicated by experts.
The impact on agriculture has been substantial, with Kenya reporting significant losses including at least 9,973 livestock and 41,562 acres of cropland, affecting essential crops such as maize and rice. The floods have also damaged over 60 roads, disrupting the daily connection between farmers and fresh produce markets.
Furthermore, the contamination of 1,465 clean water sources has been reported, affecting vital aquatic food sources and increasing the risk of disease outbreaks like malaria. The flooding crisis has prompted responses from global humanitarian agencies, including the World Food Programme, especially as over 26 million people in East Africa were already vulnerable to hunger prior to this crisis.
Source: downtoearth.org.in