KFSSG Short Rains Assessment Report, 2011
An estimated 2.4 million persons, up from 1.6 million in August 2010, require food and non-food assistance for the next six months, at least. The interventions are required urgently, so as to bridge significant household food gaps while protecting livelihoods. The exceptionally poor performance of the 2010 October to December short rains occurred after similarly poor March-June long rains in the northern and northeastern pastoral areas; and the southeastern and coastal lowlands. The impacts of cumulative poor rains have precipitated a rapid decline in household food security in these areas. The deterioration in food security is significant because households and livelihoods were just beginning to recover from the effects of the prolonged drought that started in 2007 and ended in October 2009.
Food Security Alert March 2011
An estimated 1.4 million pastoralists face moderate to high food insecurity due to the impacts of consecutive poor seasons, declining terms of trade, poor milk availability, and herd losses. Findings of a multi-agency scenario building process indicate that a majority of very poor and poor households are unlikely to meet required food needs through at least September 2011 due to the likely poor performance of the 2011 long rains (March-May).
Food Security Outlook January-June 2011
Pastoral food security is increasingly precarious and may rapidly deteriorate if necessary interventions are not instituted urgently. The poor performance of the rains in the short rains-dependent southeast and coastal marginal agricultural areas is likely to result in extensive crop losses. While the long rains are likely to improve the food security of many of the pastoral and marginal agricultural farming households from April through June, recovery from the current drought will take a significant amount of time.