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Kenya

Tharaka Nithi County: Drought Early Warning Bulletin for March 2015

Attachments

Drought Situation & EW Phase Classification

Biophysical Indicators

  • The month of March registered onset of the long-rains season of which rainfall was recorded in various parts of the county in the third dekad for an average of four days.

  • The Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) was 12.74 illustrating severe drought and on a worsening trend.

  • The water availability was below normal attributed to the long dry spell and declined volumes in available water sources.

Socio Economic Indicators (Impact Indicators)

  • No external migration was reported in the period under review.

  • The quality and quantity of pasture and browse was fair to poor and has worsened compared to the previous month.

  • Milk Production per livelihood zone was recorded at an average of 20.25 litres and consumption at 16.5 litres respectively which was below normal.

  • Terms of Trade (ToT) ratio was at 83 in comparison to an average of 101.

  • Percentage of children at risk and malnourished whose MUAC is below 135mm was 7.47 for the period under review which was slightly below the average of 8.28