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Farmers whose crops and livestock were destroyed or killed by floods have been dealt a huge blow after the government ruled out any plans to compensate the victims.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi said his ministry has no budget for compensating farmers who suffered massive losses in the floods.

“The government has no budgetary allocation for compensation of farmers affected by floods,” said Linturi.

In Tana River, alone, Linturi disclosed that some 10, 864 acres of land under crop have been destroyed by the waters.

The crops, which are grown under irrigation schemes, are valued at Sh734.40 million.

They include Bura, Tana, Vumbwe Minor, Hola and Tarda Irrigation Schemes.

The schemes mainly grow mangoes, coconuts, cashew nuts, bananas, maize, rice, tomatoes and watermelon.

“Due to the floods, farmers incurred losses resulting from the damaged crops,” Linturi said.

Livestock valued at Sh7.82 million has also been destroyed in Tana River alone.

The heavy rainfall, which has caused mass destruction in the country also led to loss of lives and displacement of people. Some 289 people had lost their lives as at Tuesday.

Some of the most affected counties are Tana River, Garissa and Lamu as a result of the Tana Delta flooding due to heavy rains received in the Central region.

This is after Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh had hinted that the government could compensate the farmers affected by the floods.

The PS had disclosed that the government was collecting the data on the affected farmers to assist them to resume farming activities.

“We will ensure we help farmers access seeds, fertilizer and also drain water from farms. Nearly 60,000 farms have been washed away. Last week the Kenya Seed Company made a huge loss after its farms were washed off,” said Rono.

The PS was speaking during the distribution of 5,000 avocado seedlings to farmers in Chepsir in Kipkelion East Constituency, Kericho County on Sunday.

Farmers across the country have been pushing for compensation in the wake of the destruction of their crops by the raging floods that engulfed the country in the past weeks.

Kenya National Farmers Federations Chairman, Dubat Ali Amey said that farmers along the River are in a state of despair, since they have lost everything.

“The farms have been washed, the destruction is very devastating term intervention,” said Amey. A statement released by the government spokesman Isaac Mwaura on Tuesday showed that more than 168,000 acres of farmland have been destroyed by floods, adding that the government has enhanced surveillance for vector-borne diseases in all counties.