Nairobi, Feb 25 : Kenyan authorities said that country was ramping up drought response interventions to mitigate the impacts of the deteriorating drought, which has left more than 6 million people food insecure.

Rebecca Miano, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of East African Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development, said the government has released an additional 2 billion Kenyan shillings ($15.8 million ) to secure relief food distribution for affected counties whose procurement is ongoing, reports Xinhua news agency.  "Cumulative effects of previous successive below-average rainfall seasons have led to the depletion of pasture and browse in most arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) counties, which has resulted in the poor body condition of livestock and widespread mortalities," Miano said in a statement issued here on Friday.  She added that the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) is providing livestock feed supplements and implementing water-related interventions.  Findings of an assessment of the impact of the 2022 short rains on the food and nutrition security situation in the country revealed that an estimated 6 million people in 32 counties are currently facing acute food insecurity and/or acute malnutrition.