Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations in Mwingi
We have been the lead agency for Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations (PRRO) in Mwingi District, Eastern Province, for the last four years.
Kenya has been under the Emergency Operations Programme (EMOP) facilitated by the World Food Programme (WFP) since 2004 due to inadequate rains in the arid and semi-arid regions.
The programme, supported by the World Food Programme, covers nine divisions of the expansive district.
We’ve put in place general relief distribution in acute food deficit situations and Food for Assets as a short term plan during the food crisis.
Projects that are implemented under the Food for Assets programmes are those that can be completed with no external manpower and technical assistance, apart from tools, and can be started and completed by the communities themselves.
Over the years, projects such as Soil and Water Conservation, de-silting and excavation of earth pans, repair of rural access roads and trenching for water pipes have been undertaken under PRRO.
During these projects, we’ve always made sure that necessary resources are in place so we can provide this support successfully and promptly.
Women form a majority and integral part of the Food for Asset project at all levels, including the making up of project committees and the actual implementation of the work norms.
Despite numerous hindrances, like unfavourable rain patterns and inadequate work tools, our PRRO project has yielded tremendous results. The project has saved lives and improved livelihoods of the people and communities through providing food for immediate consumption and improved leadership and governance through field capacity building.
Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations in Isiolo
Our Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations (PRRO) project assists Isiolo residents through general food relief and Food for Assets where residents are given food rations in exchange for construction work for ongoing projects.
The frequency of drought occurrence has been increasing over the years. Its frequency has increased from once every 8-10 years to once every six in the last forty years in Kenya.
This has led to serious food shortages in various regions of the country, which has increased the importance of distributing of food aid to check against starvation.
We’ve been the lead agency in PRRO projects in Isiolo District from 2004. We are partnered with World Food Programme (WFP), the main donor in implementing the project. WFP has been footing 83% cost, with ActionAid contributing the remaining 17% of the total food relief cost. PRRO assists Ijara residents through general food relief and Food for Assets (FFA), where residents are given food rations in exchange for construction work for ongoing projects in the areas of water, road and irrigation schemes. These schemes directly improve food security and sustainable livelihood in Ijara.
A total of 16 FFA projects have been implemented in Merti, Oldonyiro, Sericho and Garba Tulla divisions with six projects already completed, while the remaining eight are ongoing.
The food distributed are categorized into cereals (maize, maize-meal, corn- meal, bulgur wheat), Pulses (beans, peas, green grams), Vegetable oil, Corn Soya Beans (CSB), Salt and High Energy Biscuits (HEB).
Since PRRO Isiolo’s roll out, a total of 16,579.35 metric tonnes of food has been distributed to the vulnerable population over a period of 7 EMOP phases ending September 2008, with a total food value of Ksh 490, 871,198.87.
The current phase of the project that began in October 8th 2008 is expected to run till March 2009 with an estimated 25,366 targeted beneficiaries.
Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations in Mwingi