Two Kenyan boys farm their family's dried maize field
The Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki has declared a national disaster across the country's farming regions and called for urgent international help to feed millions of people in danger of starvation.
At a special meeting of ambassadors and donors in Nairobi, President Kibaki appealed for $406m to help the country survive the current emergency.
Keny has scrapped import duty on maize to alleviate food shortage after drought cut production of food. The country has once again been struck by a drought which is affecting mainly the north and south-east of the country.
In the coming months about 10 million people will be dependent upon aid. Since the last drought in 2006, two rainy seasons have failed to deliver the water necessary, and the lack of rain over the last few months has exacerbated the situation dramatically
The BBC's East Africa correspondent Peter Greste listened to the appeal in Nairobi.
Listen Hear Peter Greste's report (1 min 42 secs)
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