However this supply has been well short of reaching those who need it and Kenya has also lost the strategic grain reserve that is normally maintained to ensure that food security is stabilised during drought and shortages.

The key needs of the affected population are food, water and pasture for their livestock.

Some agricultural areas require both food and water as some of the rivers that supply water are already drying up because of the onset of another drought before meaningful recovery from the last one.

Our response:

• ActionAid is distributing food in two areas of Isiolo and Mwingi in the Eastern Province under the World Food Programme, which in Isiolo, provided food to over 13,900 people.

• Food for work activities are underway in Mwingi, where over 5,000 households received supplies.

• ActionAid will be carrying out activities within the Rift Valley, the Coast and the Eastern and North Eastern Provinces by providing food rations to over 3,000 people, including supplementary food for 2,000 children in the worst affected areas.  Five hundred households will also be provided with a drought resistant variety of seeds.

• In Tangulbei, six wells are being built to alleviate water shortages in the area and plans are underway to design a water pan in Lochokia area.

• In Malindi, an irrigation project that will liberate farmers from practising rain fed agriculture is nearing completion and in Kieni, pipe materials have been supplied to enhance community access to water for drinking and irrigation.