Kenya: About 2.1 million people in the ASAL region are highly food insecure due to failed rains, low agricultural production and high food prices. | IPC - Integrated Food Security Phase Classification

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Kenya: About 2.1 million people in Kenya's ASAL region are highly food insecure due to failed rains, low agricultural production and high food prices. Over 650,000 children under 5 and over 96,000 pregnant or lactating women are acutely malnourished.

Overview

The IPC Acute Food Insecurity and Acute Malnutrition Long Rains analysis of the Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) counties of Kenya was conducted between July and August 2021. It covered the 23 counties that make up Kenya’s ASAL region, and whose population is generally the most food insecure given their high levels of poverty, high vulnerability to shocks and hazards, and the aridity and rainfall variability of the areas. The area covers approximately 88 percent of Kenya’s landmass, and for the purposes of the analysis is classified into various livelihood zones grouped into five clusters; Pastoral North-West, comprising of Turkana, Samburu and Marsabit; Pastoral North-East, comprising of Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo, Tana River and Mandera; South-East Marginal Agriculture, comprising of Kitui, Makueni, Tharaka Nithi, Embu, and Meru; Coastal Marginal Agriculture, comprising of Kilifi, Kwale, Taita Taveta and Lamu; and the Agropastoral cluster of Baringo, Narok, Kajiado, West Pokot, Laikipia and the northern part of Nyeri county (Kieni sub-county). The main livelihood activities in these clusters are Pastoralism, Agro-pastoralism, Mixed Farming, Marginal Mixed Farming and some Irrigated Cropping.
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Results

An estimated 2.1 million people (14% of the analysed population) are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or 4) between July and October 2021. Compared to the same period in 2020, there is a 34 percent increase (by over 700,000 people) of people classified in these conditions. In the projection period (November 2021 to January 2022), the population in IPC Phase 3 or above is expected to increase to about 2.4 million people, including around 368,000 people in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency). An estimated 652,960 children aged 6-59 months and 96,480 pregnant and lactating women require treatment of acute malnutrition. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting all counties in the country, the caseload for children aged 6 to 59 months requires urgent attention.
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