Attachments
Description of the Event
Date when the trigger was met
21-03-2025
What happened, where and when?
Kenya faced a drought that worsened considerably due to the failure of rains observed since the last quarter of 2024. The National Drought Disaster Management Authority released the Kenya IPC Short Rains Assessment (SRA) on 28 February 2025. The assessment was carried out by the Kenya Food Security Steering Group, with technical expertise provided by the Kenya Red Cross. The report highlighted the impact of the rain failure during the previous OND season and noted that rainfall from March to May remained below normal. The assessment, which covered the post-harvest period from February to March 2025, found that approximately 2.2 million people were experiencing acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or higher – Crisis or worse). Among them, about 266,000 people were classified in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), primarily in Turkana, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, and Marsabit counties. By June 2025, it was projected that around 292,000 people would be in IPC Phase 4 and 2.5 million in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis).
On 21 March 2025, the Acute Food Insecurity Situation for February–March 2025 and the projection for April–June 2025 in Arid and SemiArid Land (ASAL) areas were published, showing a signicant increase in the food-insecure population compared to the same period in the previous year. Kenya had a total of 23 ASAL counties, of which nine were classied as arid and fourteen as semi-arid. The below-normal October–November–December (OND) 2024 short rains stressed production and reversed gains made during the previous three seasons, thereby worsening household food insecurity in ASAL regions. Widespread crop failure and low agricultural productivity were caused by poor rainfall, worsened by crop pests, diseases, and high fuel and fertiliser costs, which seriously limited farming activities, especially among vulnerable households. These conditions over the past months further increased food insecurity in ASAL regions, where high food prices and conflicts related to resource management and human–wildlife interactions also contributed to the crisis.
By late 2025 or early 2026, Kenya’s drought worsened due to a failed short rains season, leaving millions at risk of food insecurity, water shortages, and livestock losses — especially across the ASAL counties. The crisis extended beyond food shortages to health and economic pressures, with authorities and humanitarian agencies warning of ongoing vulnerability until the next rainy season.