reporter: patrick doc is a nurse at the nearby ngilai health center.s to help where he can, but the years of drought, the heat, and the long distances make it difficult. most families only have maize flour mixed with water to eat. patrick: that's what they eat most of the time. most of them don't get these other foods because the place is very dry. so we don't have green vegetables, we don't have any other fruits. people just eat ugali. reporter: so they are slaughtering cattle. this provides income for farmers, food for the people, and fewer animals to fight over what little water is available. but it also has a negative impact on their livelihoods. it's a temporary solution for an ongoing problem. patrick: it's all very uncertain because it only happens once in a while. obviously it will help for today, because someone is going to sell, another is going to eat the meat. so at least the householder fortunately is assisted in a way. reporter: parched earth as far as e eye can see. the people in eastern kenya's tana river region have not seen heavy rain

then i'm going to a patrick doc is a nurse at the nearby in gila health center. he tries to help where he can, but the use of drought, the heat and the long distances make it difficult. most families only have mays flower mixed with water to eat. so let's see what the most of the things. so was or then seemed to get these other fruits because here they're not to places very dry. so we don't often ninja tables. we don't really know the fruit, so give or he and then eat on that. okay. so they are slaughtering cattle. this provides income for farmers food for the people and fewer animals to fight over what little water is available. but it also has a negative impact on their livelihoods. it's a temporary solution for an ongoing problem, though. he's sending me his video because he, the slice noel. so full full to deal with as if he defending that. did you have of yes, you will have them for someone is going to say, and others we did. so at least their household food, at least as his dignity, parched earth as far as the i can see, the people in eastern kenny as tanne

then i'm going to a patrick doc is a nurse at their nearby ye lie health center. he tries to help where he can, but the use of drought, the heat and the long distances make it difficult. most families only have mays flour mixed with water to eat. so they see what the most of the times. so was or then say don't get these other fruits because here and on to places very dry. so we don't athlete it here both. we don't really know the fruit, so w e and that eat on that. okay, so they are slaughtering cattle. this provides income for farmers food for the people and fewer animals to fight over what little water is available. but it also has a negative impact on their livelihoods. it's a temporary solution for an ongoing problem, though, is something that is that if it, it, because he, the slicing oil. so for, for to day or to that, the v defending that did you have obviously the evidence that someone is going to sell and others when do they meet? so at least their household food would be at least assisted in memory. parched earth as far as the i can see, the people in ea