May 25, 2009
Kenya corn output down 20 percent in 2008
Kenyan corn production fell 20 percent to 26 million 90 kilogram bags in 2008, the Daily Nation reports Friday citing the Planning Ministry's annual Economic Survey.
Output is about 14 million bags less than Kenyans consume annually, the report said.
The December 2007 post-election violence mainly affected the grain basket region of Kenya's Rift Valley, where thousands of people were displaced, disrupting planting.
The shortfall in production has left at least 10 million Kenyans facing hunger, according to the Kenyan government. Last year, President Mwai Kibaki declared the shortage a national disaster and waived duty on corn imports in attempts to ease the shortfall.
The government also appealed for 26 billion Kenyan shillings (US$336 million) in aid to help import food. The current food shortage in Kenya will persist until 2010 when the next short rains harvest is expected as the rains have failed this season, according to the UN World Food Program.
