Kenya

Kenya’s October to December 2024 short rains were classified as "below average overall," severely affecting food security and livelihoods, particularly across the 23 Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) counties. Poor rainfall, crop failures, rising production costs, and fall armyworm infestations contributed to severe food insecurity and malnutrition. By June 2025, food insecurity had deepened significantly in the ASALs compared to October 2024 and January 2025. Malnutrition levels remain alarmingly high, with a large number of young children requiring urgent treatment for acute malnutrition. 

However, this year, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) reports a significant improvement in the drought situation across most ASAL counties, attributed to average to above-average March to May (MAM) 2025 long rains season. As of June 2025, all ASAL counties had transitioned to a normal drought phase. However, despite these improvements, the food security situation remains fragile due to the cumulative impact of multiple failed seasons that continue to affect household livelihoods and food availability. 

The Kenya Red Cross Society reported that heavy and persistent rains between March and May caused widespread disruption, temporarily displacing many families and resulting in the loss of lives. In response, local authorities and humanitarian partners provided shelter and essential non-food items to affected households. The NDMA will conduct a comprehensive multi-sectoral food security and nutrition assessment to evaluate the full impact of the MAM rains.

Food security assessments carried out in 2025 warn of worsening food security, with millions likely to experience crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity by August. Several counties, including Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa, are among the hardest hit, with many projected to face emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC 4) between April and June 2025. In addition, critical levels of malnutrition (IPC 4) persist in several counties, including Turkana, Samburu, Baringo (Tiaty), Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir and Garissa. 

While drought conditions have improved in recent months following the average to above-average March–May 2025 long rains, the positive impact on food security in ASAL areas remains limited. These counties continue to grapple with the cumulative effects of previous poor seasons, which have severely disrupted crop and livestock production. Furthermore, although Western Kenya is expected to receive above-average rainfall between June and August 2025, most ASAL counties will likely experience dry conditions, consistent with typical seasonal patterns. The NDMA will conduct a comprehensive multi-sectoral food security and nutrition assessment to evaluate the impact of the MAM rains on food security and nutrition in these counties in July 2025.

In response to worsening food insecurity in ASAL counties, humanitarian partners, led by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), have activated a multi-sectoral Drought Response Plan. The plan targets 2.8 million people projected to face acute food insecurity (IPC 3 and above) between March and August 2025 and requires US$142 million to support interventions across eight critical sectors, including food assistance, health and nutrition, water, agriculture and protection. To strengthen impact and efficiency, humanitarian actors have prioritized counties with populations facing emergency food insecurity (IPC 4) and critical malnutrition, aiming to deliver coordinated, life-saving support to those most at risk. 

Complementing this broader strategy is the Drought Early Action Plan, which focuses on eight high-priority counties—Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Baringo (Tiaty), Samburu, and Tana River. The plan seeks to reach 384,000 people with urgent, multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance and requires $36.9 million. Coordination is led by the Kenya Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) in collaboration with the Government of Kenya, UN agencies, NGOs and the Kenya Red Cross Society. Monthly inter-sectoral working group meetings ensure activities remain aligned with national response strategies, while the NDMA provides overarching leadership in emergency coordination and long-term resilience planning across drought-affected areas.