Attachments
In Numbers
1.2 million people assisted
USD 4.8 million in cash-based transfers distributed
USD 130.5 million six months net funding requirements (January - June 2025)
2,931 mt of food commodities distributed
Operational Updates
Food Security Situation
• The delayed onset and below-normal rainfall during the October-December 2024 short rains season is expected to worsen food insecurity. Arid and semi-arid counties (ASALs) such as Wajir, Mandera, and Kilifi are already on drought alert. According to the December National Drought Early Warning Bulletin, ten counties including Wajir, Garissa, Turkana, Marsabit, and Mandera are experiencing high levels of food insecurity, with malnutrition prevalent in Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Baringo (Tiaty), and Turkana. Due to the projected below-average rainfall, the number of people requiring food assistance is expected to exceed 1 million in 2025, surpassing the August 2024 figures. A national Food Security and Nutrition Analysis scheduled for February 2025 will provide updated data on food insecurity and malnutrition levels.
Support to crisis-affected people (Refugees)
• WFP provided food and nutrition support to 695,445 refugees and asylum seekers in Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps, and in the Kalobeyei settlement in December (335,265 women), with rations still low at 45 percent of the minimum food basket due to resource constraints.
• The rollout of the Differentiated Assistance framework for refugees in Dadaab, Kakuma, and Kalobeyei is planned for the first quarter of 2025. Differentiated Assistance shifts assistance to refugees from uniform support to tailored assistance based on individual refugee household needs and capacity; aimed at fostering self-reliance by offering customized humanitarian and livelihood packages and promoting sustainability and efficient resource use. In preparation, WFP, UNHCR, DRS, and partners collaborated to finalize key components of the framework. This included refining the household identification methodology, developing robust recourse mechanisms, and finalizing livelihood assistance packages. Additionally, a communication strategy was developed to ensure effective dissemination of information to refugees. These preparatory efforts will ensure a smooth and successful implementation of the framework.
• The Turkana County Government, WFP, and camp partners held a validation meeting for the Kakuma and Kalobeyei Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) strategy. The strategy aims to promote sustainable behaviour change among refugees and host communities, particularly in dietary practices to prevent malnutrition and improve the uptake of integrated services such as health and social protection. It also aims to address gender dynamics among refugee households to support improved nutrition and resilience such as the collaboration between men and women on the use of household resources. By focusing on these key areas, the strategy aims to increase awareness and promote healthy and diverse diets at household and individual levels and support optimal household resource utilization including strengthening food choice and prioritizing nutritious locally available foods.
Expanding Social Protection, Economic Inclusion and ClimateFriendly School Meals with the Government of Kenya
• WFP provided technical assistance to Makueni County Government to align its social protection bill with national frameworks, ensuring that it effectively addresses the unique needs and vulnerabilities of Makueni residents. As a result, the county government committed to allocate dedicated funding for social protection interventions once the bill is approved by the County Assembly in 2025. The approval will guarantee sustainable financing for social protection programmes, strengthen the county's ability to respond to shocks and emergencies and improve the targeting and effectiveness of social protection interventions.
• In December, the Ministry of Education, together with other line Ministries developed a comprehensive action plan for the National School Meals Coalition. This major milestone followed a study visit to Brazil in November/December 2024, organized by WFP, which brought together key stakeholders from the Government of Kenya (including relevant line ministries), civil society, and development partners. The visit focused on successful Brazilian models for large-scale school feeding, including local food procurement and reducing the carbon footprint of school meals. These insights informed the action plan, which will enable the expansion of the national school meals to reach 10 million learners by 2030. The National School Meals Coalition, launched in December 2024 with support from the Government, WFP, and the Rockefeller Foundation, will spearhead this effort. WFP is supporting the Government as the coalition’s secretariat.