Early cessation of the long rains likely to deepen food insecurity in the southeast

*The food security situation has improved in many pastoral areas with exceptions in parts of Garissa, Ijara, and Tana River where poor recharge of water sources has led to early livestock migrations. As a result, affected households are unable to easily access livestock products such as milk or livestock for cash sales.
* Acute water shortages have started in eastern Kitui and Mwingi, Tharaka, southern Meru North and Makueni, and the lower parts of Taita Taveta and Kilifi where recharge of surface water sources was below 30 percent. Affected households are likely to spend more time accessing water, and may also divert expenditures from other important items including food, in order to purchase water.
* An estimated 1.2 million hectares has been put to long rains maize crop production. Although the area planted is comparable to the short-term, three-year average, the long rains harvests are expected be below average due to a combination of poor rainfall performance in southeastern and coastal areas, damage of the crop by floods in western parts of the country, and the outbreak of maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND) in some areas of Rift Valley province. In addition to the expected reduced yields, harvesting may be delayed by up to a month because of the protracted planting period.