Food security improves despite floods, Rift Valley Fever

Figure 1. Areas affected by Rift Valley Fever and floods   FULL-SIZE IMAGE   Source of Information: ALRMP/Assessment Teams

Results from a series of recent food security assessments point to substantial improvements in food security across livelihood zones in Kenya. Cereal prices are declining after good long- and short-rains harvests, livestock prices have risen in most markets outside Rift Valley Fever (RVF)-affected areas and good pasture conditions are expected through most of the March to May long-rains season. The long-rains season forecast suggests normal rainfall, which would further aid the recovery of drought-affected households. A normal long-rains season would also strengthen livestock productivity and pastoralists’ asset bases, assuming that RVF is contained. Livestock re-stocking programs are recommended.

However, the heavy October to December 2006 rains that enabled many farmers and pastoralists to begin recovering from three consecutive years of drought also brought flooding to some pastoral, coastal and lakeshore areas, damaging infrastructure, causing asset losses and creating an upsurge in human and livestock diseases, such as RVF (Figure 1). Flooding has also displaced people and disrupted access to markets and basic services.

Control measures against RVF, including vaccination programs and restrictions on the movement, trade and slaughter of animals, appear to have contained the disease. However, these restrictions have substantially reduced pastoral incomes and food access at a time when these households face relatively high food prices, especially in local markets where poor road conditions have disrupted the supply of food commodities. Targeted feeding programs are recommended for households that have been unable to trade or consume their livestock and livestock products since the outbreak of RVF. Increased vaccination coverage against RVF, as well as foot and mouth disease, East Coast Fever and lumpy skin disease, is recommended across livelihoods zones.

Household food security has also declined in the flooded districts around Lake Victoria. In addition to causing displacement and crop losses, floods also compromised the fishing industry and caused massive infrastructure damage to irrigation facilities, roads and schools. Rehabilitation of irrigation and sanitation facilities in these areas is urgently needed, as the long rains are expected to begin by the end of March. Exceptionally high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates – ranging from 14 to 34 percent in the lakeshore districts – further exacerbate chronic food insecurity in these areas and require systematic redress. Targeted feeding programs are recommended for households that lost their productive assets to floods. Supplementary feeding programs are also recommended for children suffering from high rates of malnutrition.