National monthly drought update - November 2019

The onset of the October-November-December (OND) 2019 occurred around mid-October and currently, nearly all the ASAL counties have received favourable rainfall. The early start to the current season and its performance so far suggests that most ASAL areas will probably experience near-normal rainfall. Consequently, it is anticipated that the 2019 October to December short rains are likely to impact positively on both livestock and crop production. Although key drought indicators in a number of counties have not yet returned to normal, significant improvement has been observed in most of the counties with the trend improving and stable in 14 and 9 counties respectively. Currently, there are 13 counties in normal, seven in alert, one in recovery and three in alarm, compared with eight in normal, seven in alert and eight in the alarm drought phase in September.

Click on the link to access: National Monthly Drought update - November 2019 

National drought updates - September 2019

There are currently eight counties where drought conditions are considered normal, 10 in the alert phase, and six in the alarm phase. The trend is worsening in seven counties while four and 12 counties recorded an improving and stable trend respectively. The average distances to water sources for households and livestock recorded an increase compared to the month of July in several ASAL counties. The current trekking distance to water source from grazing areas increased in all counties except in Tharaka, West Pokot and Baringo. Additionally, most ASAL areas experienced near to total maize and green grams crop failure. Maize production ranges between 1 and 10 percent of the five-year average across counties, with the exception of Meru (Meru North), where current production is 29 percent of the five-year average. Green gram production ranges between 1-9 percent of the five-year average. Most poor households have minimal food stocks from the harvest that are only likely to last through September.

Click the link to access the National drought update - September 2019 

2019 long rains food and nutrition security report

Overall, the food security situation in the country has continued to deteriorate.  Currently, the number of people in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse stands at 2.6 million people an increase from the estimated 1.6 million people that was established in May 2019 during the mid-season assessment. This was a further increase from 1.1 million people that had been identified in February 2019 after the short rains assessment. From this trend, this number is estimated to rise to above 3 million people in the next three months by October 2019. However, a third failed rain season (Short Rains Season in October) would exacerbate the food insecurity situation further.

Currently, while almost all the ASAL counties have populations in either Crisis or Emergency, majority of these populations are in Turkana, Mandera, Baringo Wajir, Garissa, Marsabit and Tana River in the predominant pastoral livelihoods and Kitui, Makueni, Kilifi, Meru North in the marginal agricultural and agro-pastoral livelihoods.

The government has set up a Drought Command Centre and developed a comprehensive drought response plan covering the whole country as state agencies continue to monitor how the October-December rainfall season will perform.

Click on the link to get the full report;
http://ndma.go.ke/index.php/resource-center/send/68-2019/5307-2019-lra-national-report

or below for a summary report
http://ndma.go.ke/index.php/resource-center/send/68-2019/5308-summary-2019-lra-national-report

2019 mid-season food security report

The overall food security situation in the ASAL counties deteriorated in the month of May 2019 with more households in crisis phase of IPC classification. The poor performance of the long rains has resulted in poor regeneration of forage and minimal recharge of surface water sources in pastoral livelihood zones. In marginal livelihood zones, crop condition is poor with an expected drop in production of more than 60 percent and consequently more food-insecure households.

The nutrition situation remains critical in pastoral counties of Turkana and Marsabit and expected to deteriorate across all pastoral livelihood zones owing to the expected worsening of food security situation, water and sanitation practices. The worsening household food security and diminishing milk availability will further contribute to increasing in malnutrition. Food insecure households are projected to increase from 1,591,400 in June to 2,031,200.

The Government has set up a Drought Command Centre and developed a comprehensive drought response plan covering the whole country. The Government approximates that Ksh 8 billion will be required for drought mitigation between June and December 2019 as state agencies continue to monitor performance of the October-December rainfall season.

View the full report on the link below;

2019 Long Rains Mid-Season Food and Nutrition Security Review Report