KAJIADO COUNTY 2013 LONG RAINS FOOD SECURITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 5TH AUGUST – 10TH AUGUST 2013 Assessment team: Thomas Kang’ethe Ministry of Water and Natural Resource Geoffrey Kimathi World Food Programme County Steering Group Kajiado Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 2 1.1 County background ............................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Current of Relief Operations................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Food Security Trends ............................................................................................................ 2 1.4 Current Factors affecting Food Security .............................................................................. 2 1.5 Summary of recommendations – food and non-food .......................................................... 3 2.0 COUNTY FOOD SECURITY SITUATION ...................................................................... 3 2.1 Current food security situation ............................................................................................. 3 2.2 Current Shocks Hazard ......................................................................................................... 3 3.0 IMPACT OF SHOCK AND HAZARDS ............................................................................ 4 3.1 CROP PRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 4 3.2 LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 5 3.3 WATER AND SANITATION ............................................................................................. 6 3.4 MARKETS AND TRADE .................................................................................................. 8 3.5 HEALTH AND NUTRITION .............................................................................................. 9 6.0 EDUCATION ...................................................................................................................... 10 3.7 COPING MECHANISMS .................................................................................................. 11 3.8 FOOD SECURITY PROGNOSIS ..................................................................................... 11 3.9 ONGOING INTERVENTIONS ......................................................................................... 11 3.10 Sub County Food Security Ranking ................................................................................... 14 4.0 RECOMMENDED/SUMMARY OF PRIORITY INTERVENTION............................. 14 4.1 Monitoring required ............................................................................................................ 14 4.2 Food Intervention ............................................................................................................... 15 4.3. Non food interventions ....................................................................................................... 15 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 County background Pastoral Formal Kajiado County is situated in the Rift Valley Province Agro-pastoral Mixed farming and borders Narok and Kiambu Counties to the West, 5% Nairobi and Machakos Counties to the North, Makueni 12% and Taita/Taveta Counties to the East and Tanzania to the South. It has a population of 687,312 Kenya National Beareu of Statistics (KNBS, 2009 census) and 52% occupies an area of 21,902 square kilometers. The 31% County is subdivided into five sub counties namely Kajiado Central, Kajiado North, Loitokitok, Mashuru and Isinya. Figure 1: Population proportion by livelihood The County has four main livelihood zones namely; pastoral all species, agro-pastoral, formal employment and mixed farming livelihood zones. The main livelihood zone in the County is pastoral with 52 percent of the population as shown in figure 1. Due to its proximity to Nairobi, areas of Ngong and Isinya (Kitengela) are more of urban with formal and informal sectors contributing substantially to the County. 1.2 Current of Relief Operations The County was placed on relief programme during the 2012 long rains as a result of the trailing effects of the 2009 drought. The population targeted under the relief and recovery operations under the general food distribution was 63,970 beneficiaries in all the five sub counties. The situation has since improved following the good performance of the 2012 short rains and the subsequent 2013 long rains. Currently, 114 public primary schools are benefitting from the government sponsored home grown school feeding programme covering the entire County. 1.3 Food Security Trends After the 2012 long rains, most of the County was placed in the ‘stressed ‘phase with the exception of some areas bordering the counties of Nakuru, Kiambu, Nairobi, Machakos and Makueni. The food security situation improved considerably after the 2012 short rains where the County was placed under ‘minimal ‘ food insecurity phase with the exception of a small part of Eastern Loitokitok and South Eastern Mashuru which were under ‘stressed’ phase. The 2013 long rains performed well leading to availability of pasture, browse, water and food at household level. Coupled with the prevailing stable market conditions the County is currently at ‘borderline minimal or none acute food insecurity phase and is expected to remain so until the next rainy season. 1.4 Current Factors affecting Food Security • Inadequate surface water availability in parts of Mashuru and Loitokitok • Breakdown of boreholes, damaged pipes in irrigated areas and siltation of dams • poor pest and disease control leading to low production. • Poor post-harvest management • Low hygiene and poor infant feeding practices. 2 1.5 Summary of recommendations – food and non-food 1.5.1 Food interventions • Streamline government led home grown school meals programme in all public primary schools within the County. • Monitor household food security levels in areas where rainfall performance was poor. 1.5.2 Non Food interventions • Rain water harvesting (Roof and rock catchment). • Rehabilitation of broken down boreholes and damaged dams across all livelihood zones • Upgrading of breeding stock and introduction of livestock adapted to harsh conditions • Development of livestock market infrastructure • Water treatment at Household & institutional level • Improve latrine coverage across all livelihood zones 2.0 COUNTY FOOD SECURITY SITUATION 2.1 Current food security situation The County is currently in the non or minimal food insecurity phase as a result of good 2013 long rains performance within the County which has led to availability of pasture, browse, water and good livestock body conditions. Water sources within the County were adequately recharged and distances to these sources have reduced. Availability of milk in Households is at an average of four litres in most pastoral livelihood zones. The nutritional status across all livelihood zones has improved for children less than five years old and lactating mothers due to consumption of milk at household levels and dietary diversification. 2.2 Current Shocks Hazard 2.2.1 Rainfall Performance Rainfall onset was timely in the pastoral areas in the first dekad of March whereas in mixed farming areas, the onset was in the third dekad of February. Rainfall ceased in the second dekad of May in the pastrol areas and ceased in the third dekad of May in the mixed farming areas. The Southwest and areas within Ngong & Central Kajiado received 120 to 160 percent of normal. Ngong, Magadi, Central Kajiado, parts of Mashuru and Loitokitok received 80 to120 percent of normal. Northwest Mashuru & Figure 2: Rainfall performance March - Southeast of Loitokitok received 50 to 80 percent of normal June 2013 with a few areas receiving 20 to 50 percent of normal. The spatial distribution is as shown in figure 2. 2.2.2 Other Hazards Human wildlife conflict Endemic Livestock and human diseases HIV/AIDS 3 3.0 IMPACT OF SHOCK AND HAZARDS 3.1 CROP PRODUCTION Rain fed crop production Crop production in Kajiado County is rain fed dependent for main food crops (maize, beans and potatoes) especially in the mixed farming areas of Loitokitok. However, in parts of Ngong, Nguruman and Loitokitok, irrigation is carried out for both high value crops intended for export. Subsistence farming is practiced within the agro pastoral and mixed farming livelihood zones. Table 1: Crop area planted and production in Kajiado County during the Long rains 2013 Crop Area planted during the Production during the Long rains season Long rains season (Ha) (90 kg) bags 2013 Long Long Term 2013 Long rains Long Term Average rains Average (Projected/Actual ) 1. Maize 10,486 11,031 83,888 110,310 2. Beans 19,844 20,931 79,376 104,655 3.Pigeon peas 181 190 1,086 1,330 Source: Ministry of agriculture Kajiado Area planted during the long rains season was minimally reduced by five percent for both maize and beans and 4.7 percent for pigeon peas, as compared to the long term averages as shown in table 1.The drop was attributed to early onset of rainfall within the agro pastoral and mixed farming areas. Crops were also affected by flooding from heavy rains during early stages of development. The performance of the crops in the season was fair and fell short by 23 and 50 percent in maize and