In return for their labour, the farmers receive vouchers that
can be redeemed for food as well as building materials for the
community-owned dams. When the rains do come to this hilly area
they often come in intense bursts, stripping away fertile
topsoil. Rainwater is lost through run-off, leaving seasonal
river beds bone dry the rest of the year. Terracing and dam
construction can break this cycle. "Efforts like this can help
farmers hold the line and get back on their feet quickly," said
Dan Rugabira, FAO Representative in Kenya. "By building up
farmers' resilience to bad weather today, we help avoid crises
tomorrow." Meanwhile, seed stocks in the region are all but
depleted and high food and fuel prices have placed an additional
strain, forcing families to eat fewer meals a day or to sell off
livestock. The food situation in these parts of eastern Kenya,
though difficult, is not as dire as in other areas of the
country — or in Somalia. "That is precisely why these types of
projects are so crucial right now