Severe drought turns farmlands in Kenya barren

STORY: Severe drought turns farmlands in Kenya barren DATELINE: Oct. 7, 2022 LENGTH: 0:02:40 LOCATION: Nairobi CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of farms 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Swahili): JOSHUA KOBIA, Local farmer 3. various of a homestead 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Swahili): EUNICE KANJARIA, Local resident 5. various of trucks carrying relief supplies STORYLINE: Kenya is among the Horn of African countries grappling with a prolonged dry spell that has escalated hunger, malnutrition and loss of livelihoods among subsistence farmers and herders. At least 36.1 million people in the Horn of Africa will be affected by severe drought in October, the United Nations has warned. The situation is so dire in Meru County, 300 km east of the capital Nairobi. The region was known for its lush green landscape. But the once-agricultural area has been hard hit by drought due to the lack of rainfall for three consecutive seasons. The lush countryside has been turned into barren land. SOUNDBITE 1 (Swahili): JOSHUA KOBIA, Local farmer