U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (BHR)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
KENYA - Drought
Information Bulletin #1, Fiscal Year (FY) 2001    June 19, 2001


Background

In early 1998, as Kenya began to recover from the floods of 1997, the Horn
of Africa experienced the first of several seasons of below-normal
rainfall.  This culminated in a severe drought in March-June 2000.  This
has been Kenya's worst drought in 60 years, and it has come at a time when
long-term economic decline has already left 48% of the rural population in
absolute poverty, according to the World Bank.

Kenya has two rain seasons, a Short Season that lasts from October to
December and a Long Season that lasts from March to June.  The Long Season
harvest of June 2000 was far below normal, and threatened pastoral and
subsistence agrarian populations throughout the northern, central, and
eastern areas of the country with food insecurity.  The purchasing power
of agrarian populations decreased and they gradually depleted food stores.  
Increased distances between pasture and water sources weakened
pastoralists' stocks and triggered conflict over limited resources.  Both
populations faced malnutrition and disease.  Stress migrations to limited
food and water sources exacerbated these health problems.  Decreased
availability of currency and declining market value for weakened livestock
undermined pastoral coping mechanisms.

The Government of Kenya (GOK) responded to the crisis with a consolidated
aid appeal in July 2000, issued in cooperation with United Nations (U.N.),
bilateral and non-governmental aid organizations.  The food aid appeal
received good responses from donors, and the U.N. Special Coordinator for
the Horn of Africa later credited this assistance with averting serious
food insecurity in 2000.  By November 2000, 3.2 million Kenyans were
receiving food aid.  The October-December 2000 rains were sporadic and
sparsely distributed, providing little relief to some areas and worsening
conditions in others.



Numbers Affected

The 2001 United Nations Consolidated Appeal, issued in February, reports
4.4 million Kenyans affected by the drought, according to World Food
Program (WFP) figures.  The Kenya Food Security Steering Group and the
Arid Lands Resource Management Program supported this figure.  This
represents an increase of 1.1 million over last year's estimates.  This
figure does not include those impacted by secondary effects of the
drought, such as decreased manufacturing output due to hydropower
rationing.

Beneficiary numbers have decreased between February and May 2001 due to
some improvements in food security and the nutrition situation.  In April,
WFP reassessed its figures and reported 3.5 million affected by drought,
and phased out its general food distribution in six districts.  The
sixteen districts where general food distribution continues are located in
the Eastern, North Eastern, Rift Valley, and Coast provinces, and
represent 87% of Kenya's territory.

Additionally, severe flooding in southwestern districts at the end of
January 2001 affected 150,000 people, according to UNICEF estimates.  As
of March 1, 2001, the displaced families had returned to their homes, but
1,500 were still in need of assistance to supplement food, rebuild
agriculture, and replace private goods.



Current Situation

The 2000 Short Rains (October-December 2000) began late, were sporadic,
and fell unevenly across the country. The pastoral areas received
below-average rainfall.  Some agricultural areas received adequate
rainfall, including the marginal agricultural areas of Eastern Province,
where the Short Rains produce the majority of annual production.  Many
areas, however, received rains that were inadequate, excessive, or too
late for sufficient harvests.  These Short Rains stabilized the food
security situation, but recovery requires vegetation regeneration from the
Long Rains of March-June 2001 and successive seasons.  USAID/OFDA field
staff estimate that it will take two to four years of normal rainfall to
regenerate pasture, restock herds, and resume normal food marketing.  
Initial predictions for the impact of the ongoing Long Rains (March-June
2001) season are mixed:  western regions received strong rainfall in
April, but little rain in May; pastoral regions in the North and East have
received only below-average rainfall.

- Food security:  Both the affected population and the geographic extent
of the drought have increased since September 2000 despite some reprieve
provided by the 2000 Short Rains.  Marginal agricultural areas such as the
eastern districts of Tharaka, Mbeere, Kitui, and Mwingi, for whom the
Short Rains provide 75% of annual production, received good rains one
month later than normal, according to USAID/OFDA field staff.  This
unusual rainfall allowed good harvests of some crops, such as sorghum and
pigeon peas, but it washed out desiccated bean crops.

Pastoral regions received little precipitation during the Short Rains,
however, and to date little rainfall has fallen during the Long Rains
season.  Depleted stocks, the poor health of remaining livestock and high
grain prices contribute to poor terms of trade for pastoralists.

These persistent drought effects require continued food aid assistance.  
WFP supplies general food rations to 2.4 million Kenyans in 16 districts
and to 1.1 million schoolchildren in 12 districts.  The food aid pipeline
has suffered significant breaks since March, although WFP reports that the
cereals requirements will be satisfied for the June-July period.  WFP is
currently preparing an extension to the current EMOP, which expires in
June.

- Livestock:  The drought has severely affected pastoral populations, and
they will be the slowest to recover.  FAO estimates that the overall
cattle herd has decreased by 40% and that the population of other
livestock has decreased by 20%.  FAO warns that destocking efforts, in
which excess livestock are culled to supplement food stores and conserve
core herds, may no longer be practical in some districts because current
levels are so low.  The need to travel an average of 60 kilometers between
pasture and water has placed stresses on the livestock and the herders,
undermining health and causing family units to separate.  Reports from
northeastern Kenya in early May 2001 indicated signs of recovery,
including improved livestock health and improved browse.  Pasture
regeneration will require sustained rainfall through the Long Rains
season, but reports to date indicate only moderate rainfall.

- Water/Sanitation:  Rainwater in river, dam, and pan catchment areas has
temporarily reduced water stresses.  Millions of drought victims rely on
permanent water sources at least 20 kilometers away from their homes,
according to UNICEF.  Poor maintenance of water points has exacerbated
water shortages in southern pastoral areas.  Concentration of populations
and livestock around the remaining water points has resulted in
deteriorating sanitary conditions, environmental degradation, and
conflict.  Over 2.2 million Kenyans receive water aid through repair and
construction of water sources and direct water delivery.

- Health/Nutrition:  Emergency relief activities have stabilized
malnutrition levels, but pockets of severe malnutrition remain in Wajir,
Marsabit, and Mandera districts.  A Medair assessment in the Loyengalani
division of Marsabit district in January 2001 showed Global Acute
Malnutrition (GAM) rates of 31.5% and severe malnutrition rates of 5.3%.  
In Mandera, joint assessments by Oxfam/Quebec, UNICEF, and the Ministry of
Health in March 2001 found GAM rates as high as 26.2% and severe
malnutrition as high as 5.2%.

In other areas, however, health and nutrition programs have succeeded in
mitigating the health effects of the drought.  UNICEF and NGO partners
have established mobile health clinics, vaccination programs, surveillance
networks, and primary health care facilities to respond to health needs.  
Therapeutic feeding centers have been established in most districts where
security permits.  A large-scale supplementary feeding system has been in
place, providing 3,500 MT of UNIMIX each month to 339,000 women and
children under five.  These efforts have successfully lowered malnutrition
in many areas, including a reduction of GAM rates in northern Turkana
district from 32% in August 2000 to 10% in March 2001.

- Security and Logistics:  Inter-ethnic and inter-clan conflict continues
in Wajir, Mandera, Laikipia, West Pokot, Samburu, Marsabit, Turkana,
Garissa and Moyale districts, much of it exacerbated by conflict over
scarce grazing areas and water sources.  Humanitarian workers have been
targeted.  Travel throughout the affected area requires escort, and three
districts are under U.N. Security Level III, preventing overnight stays by
U.N. personnel.  Security hazards have restricted or impeded aid supply
activities.  Certain roads in northern and northeastern districts have
fallen to disrepair, further limiting aid activities.  In addition to its
effects on aid activities, highway violence and road disrepair have
increased the costs of transporting food and goods, adding a further
hurdle to relief and recovery.


U.S. Government (USG) Assistance in FY2001

Total USG contributions for drought relief efforts in Kenya to date in
FY2001 (October 2000 - May 2001) amount to $93,196,703.  USAID/OFDA
contributed $5,699,217 in FY2000, of which $1,494,616 was granted for
programs that are still underway in June 2001.  Additional grants to date
in FY2001 (October 2000 - May 2001) amount to $2,414,000.  USAID Office of
Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) has contributed 56,400 MT of food aid to date
in FY2001, valued at $27.8 million.  The United States Department of
Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) has donated 121,700 MT
of food aid, valued at $58,500,000.  The State Department Bureau of
Population, Refugees and Migration (STATE/PRM) has given $4.5 million to
activities in Kenya in FY2001.


USAID/OFDA

USAID/OFDA supports activities throughout the affected area, including
support to UNICEF’s health and nutrition activities in 15 districts.  
Particular effort is focused on the northern districts of Turkana,
Marsabit, Mandera, Sumburu, Wajir, and Garissa, where the drought has been
most severe.  USAID/OFDA's programs aim to provide access to clean water
and furnish basic health services, while maintaining basic food security
through agriculture, livestock, supplementary feeding, and food security
programs.


Water/Sanitation:  

The following projects are currently operating with USAID/OFDA funds
provided in FY2000:

- Adventist Development and Relief Agency is repairing and constructing
earth dams and protecting water springs in Kitui district with $499,848 of
USAID/OFDA funds.  The program benefits 130,000 residents.

- One $356,171 component of a grant to World Vision International involves
rehabilitation of water sources in Turkana district.  The project will
rehabilitate boreholes and shallow wells, construct new wells and support
water pumps to benefit 120,200 residents in Turkana district.

- USAID/OFDA provided local NGO Rural Focus with $500,000 to rehabilitate
water sources in Garissa district, Northeast Kenya, and to train the local
communities in water resources management.  The program provides emergency
water assistance to 100,000 pastoralists.



USAID/OFDA has funded the following projects to date in FY2001:

- USAID/OFDA provided an extension to a Lutheran World Relief water and
livestock program first funded in FY2000.  An additional $177,000 was
provided in FY2001 to continue work in the water sector, including further
borehole rehabilitation and provision of emergency water source repair
equipment.

- USAID/OFDA provided a $2.1 million extension to the UNICEF grant issued
in FY2000, of which $1.1 million will underwrite activities in the
water/sanitation sector.  Water/sanitation activities funded through this
grant include the following:  water sector relief coordination,
maintenance and repair of existing water points, construction of new water
points, water trucking, and development of community water management
systems.  The water programs will directly benefit approximately 160,000
people.


Health and Nutrition:

The following projects are currently operating with USAID/OFDA funds
provided in FY2000:

- USAID/OFDA provided $385,952 to International Medical Corps to provide
primary health care and nutrition services to 143,483 residents of Samburu
district.

- One $366,858 grant to World Vision International focused on food
security and nutrition monitoring for 331,000 residents of Turkana
district.  A subsequent extension to the grant added $395,785 to continue
the work of the previous grant and to conduct supplementary feeding.


USAID/OFDA has funded the following projects to date in FY2001:

- USAID/OFDA provided a $2.1 million extension to the UNICEF grant issued
in FY2000, of which $1.0 million will support activities in the health and
nutrition sectors, including: sector coordination, nutrition monitoring,
supplementary and therapeutic feeding, local health and nutrition capacity
building, emergency health kit distribution, and accelerated immunization
campaigns.  The beneficiary population for the project is approximately
520,000.


Food Security/Livelihoods:

The following projects are currently operating with USAID/OFDA funds
provided in FY2000:

- USAID/OFDA has provided $539,308 to a Catholic Relief Services program
in two central marginal agricultural districts designed to improve food
security.  The program benefits 24,000 residents in Tharaka and Mbeere
districts.

- USAID/OFDA provided $361,281 to a destocking program in the Northern and
Eastern provinces, implemented by the Organization of African Unity
Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources and Tufts University.  The
project encourages the slaughter and sale of surplus cattle to decrease
strain on grazing lands, supplement local food supplies, and enable a more
rapid recovery when consistent rains recommence.


USAID/OFDA has funded the following projects to date in FY2001:

- USAID/OFDA provided a cost extension to a Lutheran World Relief water
and livestock program first funded in FY2000.  An additional $137,000 was
provided in FY2001 to continue work in the livestock sector, including
training for paravets and provision of veterinary medicines.  The program
will benefit 42,000 pastroalists in Marsabit district.


US Department of Agriculture/Foreign Agricultural Service

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has provided $58.5 million of
food aid to Kenya in FY2001, under 416(b) commodity aid authority.  This
amount includes 94,000 MT of corn, 19,300 MT of corn-soy milk and 8,400 MT
of vegetable oil.  USDA will make an additional contribution of 90,000 MT
of corn to the forthcoming WFP Emergency Operation (EMOP) appeal.


USAID/Food for Peace

USAID/FFP has provided a total emergency response of 56,400 MT of Title II
commodities, valued at $27.8 million.  The commodities consisted of
bagged/bulk corn, corn-soy blend, beans, lentils, and vegetable oil.  
USAID/FFP provided all the commodities to WFP for direct feeding to
approximately 4.4 million beneficiaries in 22 districts.  WFP has focused
distribution of the USAID/FFP donations on the most affected districts,
namely Turkana, Marasabit, and Wajir.


STATE/Population, Refugees, and Migration

- State/PRM has given $1,696,792 million to CARE for refugee protection
and assistance in the three refugee camps in Dadaab.

- For Kakama refugee camp, State/PRM has donated $1,534,076 to the
International Rescue Committee to conduct health activities, education,
and micro-enterprise development.  State/PRM also provided $1,251,835 to
Lutheran World Foundation for general camp administration, logistics, and
education programs.

- In addition, State/PRM provided $83 million in FY2001 for assistance to
refugees and conflict victims in Africa, not earmarked by country.  Of
this total, $54 million was provided to UNHCR towards its global appeal
for Africa, and $29 million was provided to ICRC towards its emergency
appeal for Africa.


USG Assistance Summary

USAID/BHR/OFDA (FY2000 ongoing programs)   $ 1,494,616

USAID/BHR/OFDA (FY2001)                    $ 2,414,000
USAID/BHR/FFP                              $27,800,000
USDA/FAS                                   $58,500,000
STATE/PRM                                  $ 4,482,703
Total FY2001 USG Assistance                $93,196,703



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