Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on Friday declared food shortages facing 10 million people a "national disaster" and launched an appeal for 400 million dollars in foreign aid.

"My government has with effect from today, declared the famine situation in the country a national disaster," Kibaki said in a speech in Nairobi.

Kibaki announced a raft of measures aimed at countering the effects of looming food shortages in several parts of the country affected by severe drought.

"In order to deal with the food security crisis, my government has so far made arrangements to import seven million bags of maize at an estimated cost of 17 billion shillings (213 million dollars)," he said.

"This maize will be sold in the market to lower and stabilise food prices for the majority of Kenyans," he added.

Kibaki said the Kenya Food Security Steering Group needed 464 million dollars to meet food requirements, and support health programmes and agricultural initiatives.

The president said however that his government could only muster 65 million dollars and urged donors to fill the gap.

"I am therefore appealing to all our friends and development partners to assist us in meeting the shortfall of 32 billion shillings (401 million dollars) that will be needed to ensure the needs of 10 million Kenyans are met until the end of August this year," he said.

Kibaki said the food crisis was mainly due to drought but explained that last year's post-electoral violence had disrupted the planting season. He also pointed to high inflation and the global surge in food prices.