No budget to compensate farmers affected by floods

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi says the Government does not have the budget to compensate farmers who lost their crops and livestock to flash floods and rains that wreaked havoc across the country.

Speaking before the Senate, Linturi said the Ministry is yet to assess the full damage caused by the floods to determine any action to be taken.

However, the CS remarks comes days after Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr. Paul Ronoh said the Government will find a way of compensating farmers in the country whose crops were destroyed by the floods.

The rains left a trail of destruction, sweeping with it over 200 lives and displacing over 200,000 Kenyans, with many more still feeling the impact with farmers not been spared.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, a total of 33,000 hectares of crops have been destroyed by floods across the country.

Early this month, Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr. Paul Ronoh said the government will find a way of compensating farmers in the country whose crops were swept away by the floods.

However, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, while sympathizing with the affected farmers now says that compensation is not on the table citing budgetary constraints.

The Agriculture CS said the Ministry is yet to ascertain the full damage caused by the floods as some areas are still flooding.

Linturi acknowledged that Tana River County was among the worst affected devolved units.