Make hay to prepare for drought, residents urged

Residents of Samburu West sub-county have been urged to take advantage of the ongoing rains in the area and make hay in preparation for the dry season.Addressing residents in Loosuk village, Samburu west MP Naisula Lesuuda noted that there is an abundance of long grass due to the ongoing light rains and advised locals to construct stores to preserve their harvested grass.'Due to the ongoing rain, the grass is about three feet tall. I urge you to harvest since it will grow back and then store it so that we stop treating drought as an emergency,' she said.At the same time, the MP said that in order for families to be food secure, local farmers should replant food crops immediately after harvesting them.'Farmers are now harvesting beans, and I advise them to replant instead of waiting for November to do so. Samburu West has the potential to feed the entire county.' She noted.Lesuuda further noted that residents of Loosuk, Poro, and Suguta have fled their homes due to increased cases of insecurity alon g the Samburu-Baringo border, adding that they are living as Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in camps.'As pastoralists' leaders, we should talk to our people to stop the bloodshed and displacement, and those tasked with handling security should do their jobs thoroughly and ensure people leave the IDP camps and take their children to school.' She said.The legislature pointed out that educating young children will play a big role in permanently restoring security along the Samburu-Baringo border.'When children don't attend school and are confined in IDP camps, they become bitter, knowing that that community killed my parents, and the vicious cycle of violence and retaliatory attacks will never end. We are ready even if the government must use force for us to take children to school.' She said.Source : Kenya News Agency