Baringo South is grappling with a double disaster: a looming food crisis and a humanitarian crisis for over 1,000 families displaced by floods. 

Perkerra Irrigation Scheme, considered the region’s breadbasket, was severely damaged by raging floods after Rivers Molo, Perkerra, and Weseges burst their banks.

Hundreds of hectares of maize crops planted by contracted farmers under a Kenya Seed Company program were swept away. The floodwaters not only destroyed the crops but also flooded the scheme’s water intake infrastructure. These farmers, many of whom had taken loans for this project, now face an uncertain future with a lost harvest and mounting debt.

Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi and Mochongoi ward MCA Kipruto Kimosop visited the devastated area and appealed to the national government for urgent intervention to address the looming food insecurity.

The floods have also displaced over 1,000 families in Ilchamus ward. These families are now camping in makeshift shelters at Loitip, Salabani Sintaan dispensary, and other locations. The situation has created a desperate need for food, medicine, and tents.

Baringo County is already stretched thin, struggling to support those displaced by banditry who are currently camped at Moinonin. 

Milka Chelagat, Baringo’s Chief Officer of Water, made a plea to humanitarian agencies to intervene, acknowledging that the county cannot handle this crisis alone.

Baringo South faces a bleak future with lost harvests and displaced families. The county government and local leaders are calling for national and international aid to address the looming food crisis and the urgent needs of the displaced population.