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Kenya: 3.1 Million Kenyans in Need of Relief Food Up From 2.8 Million in December

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Nairobi — About 3.1 million people in the country require immediate food assistance, a report by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) has revealed.

This is an increase from 2.8 million in December 2021 when the mid-season food security assessment was undertaken.

The food and nutrition security assessment was conducted by the government in collaboration with its development partners led by the World Food Programme (WFP) in January 2022.

“Of the 3.1 million people in need of urgent assistance, 500,000 people are considered to be in emergency phase while the remaining 2.6 million people are in crisis phase on the Food Security Integrated Phase Classification (IPC),” NDMA said in a brief on Tuesday.

NDMA said that the food security assessment was undertaken to determine the impact of the October-December 2021 short rains season on overall food production and access especially in Kenya’s ASAL areas which are considered highly vulnerable to weather and climatic variabilities.

The report named Marsabit, Turkana, Samburu, Baringo (Tiaty), Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Isiolo, Tana River, and parts of Kitui, Meru, Laikipia as 12 most affected areas.

“While the other 11 counties are in crisis phase, Marsabit County is in Emergency phase except Moyale Sub- County which is in crisis phase,” NDMA said.

The report further indicated that at least 656,000 children aged between 6-59 months are acutely malnourished and in need of treatment whereas about 100,000 pregnant and lactating women are acutely malnourished.