According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), an estimated 2.8 million people are at risk of facing acute food insecurity between April and June 2026 due to the expected below-normal March-May rainfall.
According to a report released by the authority on Friday, February 28, which assessed 23 Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) counties, this is a 650,000 increase in people requiring urgent humanitarian aid from the current 2.15 million in February.
According to NDMA, people in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) counties, particularly Turkana, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, and Marsabit, and other marginal agricultural zones like Kilifi, Kwale, Meru North, and Makueni, need urgent humanitarian assistance due to the impact of the 2024 short rain season.
Other key catalysts of food insecurity include flash floods and displacement, high commodity prices, below-average crop production, human and livestock diseases, crop pests and diseases, and conflict and insecurity.