Let’s Address Drought-Related Malnutrition and Hunger, Immediately

Eastern Africa is facing a severe drought - one of the worst in recent history - causing devasting effects on the environment, loss of lives and livestock. Climate change is the driving force behind this crisis.

In Kenya, for example, the cumulative failed rains have caused a humanitarian crisis of hunger and drought. Kenya’s Eastern and Northern most arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) are experiencing critical drought conditions due to five consecutive failed rainy seasons (Oct-Dec 2020, Mar-May 2021, Oct-Dec 2021, Mar-May 2022, Oct-Dec 2022); a climatic event not seen for the last 40 years. Droughts have always afflicted the region. However, according to Kenya Arid and Semi-Arid Lands Drought Response Dashboard for 2022, climate change has doubled their frequency since 1999 and the country is now experiencing drought every two to three years.

There is need for immediate intervention to address the dire effects of drought and especially malnutrition and hunger. 

Nationally, the Kenyan Government made an appeal for support last year to raise funding targeted at KES 2 billion to the developing drought crisis. The private sector rallied KES 340 million in response to the government’s appeal, but more immediate response still looms.

According to the January 2023 National Drought Early Warning Bulletin by the National Drought Management Authority, Kenya’s drought situation remains critical in 22 of the 23 ASAL. Currently, nine arid and semi-arid (ASAL) counties namely, Kilifi, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Turkana, Wajir, Isiolo, Kitui and Kajiado are in Alarm drought phase while 13 counties are in Alert drought phase. These include Garissa, Lamu, Narok, Tana River, Makueni, Tharaka Nithi, Baringo, Laikipia, Meru, Taita Taveta, West Pokot, Nyeri and Kwale.

Recently, the I&M Foundation, which is the charitable foundation of the I&M Bank Kenya, partnered with Grevy’s Zebra Trust (GZT) to feed 500 families in Samburu and Isiolo counties through a donation of KES 5.4 million (USD 44,000). GZT works with pastoralist communities in northern Kenya to conserve and grow the endangered Grevy’s zebra population. Through their interaction with the communities, they noted that some families were going without any meals for up to two days. In addition, they discovered that many families had lost nearly 85% of their livestock due to the drought, causing an increase in the rates of theft and crime due to lack of food.

The donation from I&M Foundation supplemented a family of 5 with 75% of the adult and child daily nutritional needs for a month as guided by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), Minimum Food Basket guidelines for Kenya with benefiters also sharing their relief food with their neighbours.

These most vulnerable households were identified by I&M Foundation and Grevy’s Zebra Trust in conjunction with 16 Village-Based Committees made of up of six elected members – two women, two elders and two youth – to ensure the humanitarian intervention caters to those in dire need first. Cumulatively, over 5,000 recipients including women and children benefited from this intervention.

I&M Foundation’s aim through this initiative was to provide supplementary relief to the most vulnerable families across the affected areas, rather than provide full nutritional support to the entire community. This is part of its goal to address the felt needs of the communities they serve.

However, more must be done to stop the bleeding. We wish to continue to offer what one respondent referred to as “lifesaving relief packages”. If you would like to partner with I&M Foundation in supporting our efforts in providing supplementary relief to the most vulnerable families in Samburu and Isiolo counties, reach out to our team at I&M Foundation.