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Kenya

Meru County: Drought Early Warning Bulletin for January 2017

Attachments

Biophysical Indicators

  • The month remained largely dry with no off-season showers which is not normal.
  • Vegetation conditions remained poor across all livelihood zones with Vegetation condition Index recorded at 41.49.
  • Pasture and browse conditions ranged from poor to fair in the Agropastoral livelihood zone to fair to good in all the others.

Production Indicators

  • Livestock body conditions were largely fair in the Agro-pastoral livelihood zone and fair to good in the Mixed Farming and Rain-fed cropping livelihoods.
  • Bean harvesting continued this month with poor harvests realized in the Agro-pastoral livelihood zone. Fair harvests expected in all other livelihood zones.
  • Maize crop is at tussling and grain-filling stages in the Mixed Farming and Rain-fed cropping zones. A fair harvest is expected if rains are received. The crop is at grain filling in the Agro-pastoral livelihood and of very poor conditions. Wilting and drying noted. Minimal harvests are expected in this zone.

Access Indicators

  • Return watering distances for households was 14km this month from 10 km last month. Livestock covered 13 km compared to 10 km last month.

Utilization Indicators

  • 24 percent of sampled children were at risk of malnutrition compared to 28 percent last month.