ケニア：「あんまり水が要らない作物を植えてくれるか？」

　ケニアの気象局が農民に声明。渇水に強い作物を作ってくれないか、と。

BBC Kenyans urged to plant drought-resistant crops 16 Mar 2023

「The Kenya Meteorological Department has advised Kenyans to plant drought-resistant crops due to expected depressed rains, the privately-owned Kenyans.co.ke website reports.」

　土壌中の水分はゼロよ！　というわけで。トウモロコシみたいなきつう水を要する作物は控えてくれ、そうじゃなく豆やジャガイモ…そうしたものなら数カ月でできるし、ご飯は食べられるし、余剰分を売りさばけばトウモロコシも買える…。

「"The level of moisture in the soil is normally zero. Although there may be storms at the start, they may not cancel out the deficit.

"We have beans, potatoes, cassava, vegetables, millet, and sorghum. They mature in two-three months, and then you have food. You can use the surplus to sell and buy maize."」

　渇水飢饉は結構な水準であり、250万人の子供たちが学校に行けないほど。食糧援助を要する数は200万人とかなんとか。

「At least 2.5m children are out of school amid Kenya's worst drought in 40 years, according to the UN children's agency, Unicef.

The number of Kenyans in need of food aid has risen by nearly two million since July 2022, according to government estimates.」

　割と国家存亡の危機。…ソマリアはもっとひどいでしょうけども。