Kenya has emerged as one of the most food stable countries in the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) region according to the latest report on global food security.

The report however paints a grim situation in Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan.

The IGAD Regional Focus of the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises shows that acute malnutrition among children and women remains a major concern across the region, with high numbers of acutely malnourished children found in some five countries.

Again Kenya, which had not been doing well, comes a distant fifth among these countries with Ethiopia at 4.1 million and Sudan hosting 3.7 million, followed by Somalia, and South Sudan.

The report however, projected that 1.9 million people in the close to 2 million in the Arid and Semi Arid Lands (ASALs), about 12 percent of the 16.6 million surveyed could be facing high levels of acute food insecurity in the coming months.

Acute food insecurity

“This marks a significant improvement since 2023 with a 64 percent decline in the population facing high levels of acute food insecurity,” the report, produced by 16 organisations among them six UN bodies cites.

It attributes the improved food security situation in Kenya to the abundant rainfall which enhanced crop and livestock production.

ASALs and Regional Development Principal Secretary, Harsama Kello, speaking exclusively to the People Daily noted that if it were not for the government’s food security plans that ensured farmers utilised the rains well, Kenya could be in the league of the countries whose populations are severely hit.

“Because we made good use of the rains through mobilisation of farmers to plant maize, beans and other early maturing crops on top of the subsided fertiliser being made available, Kenya could be facing a similar situation like the one in our neighbouring countries,” said Harsama.

Because of climate change, the PS noted that due to Climate Change, the intensity of the short rain season of October to December will be reduced; saying that this is what is going to affect the 1.9 million Kenyans, mainly in the ASAL