Approximately 2.2 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, classified in IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse) between February and March 2025. This includes 266,000 people in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) who are experiencing large food gaps and high levels of acute malnutrition. The population in Phase 4 are concentrated in five arid counties: Turkana, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, and Marsabit. The increase in populations in Phase 3 or above from October – December 2024 is due to short rains, reversing the gains made over the previous three seasons and adversely affecting household food security in the arid and semi-arid lands.

During the projection period (April to June 2025), the situation is expected to deteriorate during the long rainy season (March to May), with an estimated 2.8 million people likely to high levels of acute food insecurity. The worsening conditions are primarily driven by elevated food prices and conflicts related to resource management and human-wildlife interactions. Compared to the same period last year, this translates to a 6 percent increase in the population classified in Phase 3 or above. This includes approximately 292,000 people in Phase 4 and 2.5 million people in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis).

• Agriculture sector: Improve access to agricultural inputs, advancing mechanisation, expanding irrigation systems, enhancing post-harvest management, and providing capacity-building initiatives for climate-smart agricultural practices.
• Livestock-related interventions: Prioritise disease surveillance, vaccination programs, pasture production, fodder conservation, restocking initiatives, and the rehabilitation of rangelands.
• Water sector: Focus on the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, desilting of water pans, water transportation, solar energy implementations, and the promotion of rainwater harvesting techniques.
• Health and nutrition: Expand nutrition programs, fortify emergency response coordination, enhance disease surveillance, and ensure the distribution of essential health and nutrition commodities.
• Education sector: Sustain school feeding programs, enhancing water and sanitation facilities within educational institutions, providing scholarships for at-risk learners, and promoting menstrual hygiene management.
• Social protection: Strategies underscore the importance of food and non-food assistance, cash transfer programs, and initiatives aimed at building community resilience.
• Peace and security: Emphasise conflict resolution related to resource management, while child protection measures concentrate on strengthening case management, providing psychosocial support, enhancing community awareness, and fostering economic empowerment for families in vulnerable situations.