Kenya has received 11,835 tons of rice from China as part of efforts to assist the country’s drought relief efforts.
Chinese ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng on Monday said the first batch has already been distributed and is currently benefiting the drought-affected people.
“The shipment for the second batch of 1,500 tonnes will start by the end of this month,” the envoy said.
He was speaking during the handover ceremony of the China-aided project of emergency humanitarian rice donation to Kenya during the 2017 drought.
Kenya has been ravaged by low food production over the past two years after rains failed to reach much of the country’s agricultural production areas.
Wu added that the Chinese embassy is working closely with the Kenyan government to ensure quick transportation and efficient distribution of the more batches to come.
He added that in 2017, the Chinese government announced a 22 million dollars worth of emergency humanitarian food aid to Kenya.
He noted that 21,366 tonnes of rice were shipped to Kenya within one year and has supported millions of drought-affected people.
“Now, I am very glad to see that the project is officially completed and handed over,” Wu said.
He observed that China is one of Kenya’s most important development partners and its assistance to Kenya will be closely aligned with the Big Four Agenda, especially the manufacturing industry.
Kenya’s Devolution and Arid and Semi-Arid Lands cabinet secretary Eugene Wamalwa welcomed China’s assistance adding that it came at the time when the country was faced with a prolonged drought which had put the lives of three million people on the verge of starvation.
“We want to thank China for the brotherly hand that has reached us in time to provide food to less fortunate Kenyans,” the CS said.
