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WFP Kenya Country Brief, September 2019

Countries
Kenya
Sources
WFP
Publication date
Origin
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In Numbers

5,357 mt of food assistance distributed

US$ 2.85 m cash-based transfers made

US$ 100 m six months (October 2019−March 2020) net funding requirements

616,000 people assisted in September 2019

Operational Updates

WFP took part in a high-level stakeholder consultation on the Garissa Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan in Nairobi. The plan puts the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework and the Nairobi Declaration and Action Plan into practice in Garissa. The plan aims to address the socio-economic needs of both refugee and host communities in a sustainable manner. WFP is well positioned to the realisation of this and will leverage on experience from Kalobeyei as well as resilience building initiatives in the county.

WFP completed the first cycle of disbursements of unrestricted cash to refugees using a mobile money platform to more than 1,500 households in ‘village 2’ in Kalobeyei settlement. This complements the unrestricted cash provided through the bank disbursement model that started in June. WFP plans to scale up unrestricted cash transfers in Kalobeyei, setting the foundation for an approach which looks at the basic needs of beneficiaries. So far, about 2,500 households have benefited from this approach.

With support from USDA, WFP provided technical assistance to the County Government of Baringo to review, validate and finalize the Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) policy and feeding implementation guidelines. The policy and feeding guidelines will support the county government in ensuring funds allocation to the programme and effective management of the ECDE meals programme in the county. WFP will continue to provide ECDE policy support to Marsabit County Government in October 2019.

WFP participated in the Second Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs)
Conference, hosted by the Ministry of Devolution and ASALs and County Government of Kajiado in Amboseli from 10 – 12 September.
The workshop brought together 29 county governors with a view to deliberate on enhancing opportunities and areas of strategic partnership to achieve economic empowerment in the ASALs. WFP staff participated in panels on food and nutrition security and partnership and coordination, as well as displaying a booth jointly with other Rome-Based Agencies. While resolutions of the Conference are still being considered, a key outcome will be further work on establishing a partnership and coordination framework for the ASALs, which WFP is supporting through a developing partnership with the State Department.

WFP participated in the national dialogue platform on early warning early action from 24-25 September 2019. WFP Country Director delivered opening remarks alongside Dr. Abbas-KRC Secretary General, Col. (ret) Owino-NDOC Director and Mr. Mwangi- Dep.
Director Meteorological Services. WFP expressed its support for forecast-based financing to reduce losses and damages in the livelihoods of people who are faced with increasing climate extremes.
WFP continues working with the Government as part of the technical working group to establish forecast-based financing in Kenya.

WFP attended the launch of the Ending Drought Emergencies (EDE) Kenya Country Programme implementation plan, hosted by NDMA on Thursday 26 September. The EDE had been approved by the IGAD Summit in Nairobi earlier in September.
Coordination structures and lessons learned were reviewed with pillars refining their priority areas of work, including a planned mid-term review of the EDE.

WFP is carrying out feasibility studies and operational preparatory work ahead of the roll out of the R4 micro-insurance programme in Makueni an Taita Taveta Counties in 2020. WFP is working with Kenya Cereals Enhancement Programme (KCEPCRAL), Rome-based Agencies and the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that the agricultural insurance models are complimentary and draw on WFP’s lessons learnt through implementation of R4 micro-insurance in Kitui county.

Following the approval of the Kenya proposal to the Joint SDG Fund, WFP is leading the preparation of the joint programme document with the other participating UN agencies, namely FAO, ILO and UNICEF. The Joint Programme will support the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection to develop a roadmap for the realization of Universal Social Protection in Kenya in the next two years.

WFP together with the Ministry of Education trained 510 (450M, 60F) school level managers and 50 (39m,11F) government officials from the ministries of Education, Health and Agriculture in Marsabit county. These training will greatly strengthen management and coordination of the national School Meals Programme at all levels.