The Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) in Kenya are highly vulnerable to natural and man-made calamities such as drought, floods and conflict. The impact of these disasters continues to intensify due to several factors such as; high frequency, severity and intensity of their occurrence as well as increasing levels of vulnerability among affected communities. In these regions, where communities rely heavily on pastoralism and agro pastoralism as their main source of livelihoods majority are exposed to the prolonged droughts, unpredicted floods as well as perennial intercommunity conflicts over natural resources.

Besides being prone to disasters, counties in the ASAL regions are characterized by poor socio-economic conditions including high poverty levels, low literacy rates and limited access to basic services which exacerbates communities’ vulnerability within targeted counties of Turkana, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River and Garissa.

Key Issues

Over fifteen million Kenyans live with the threat of drought, one of the biggest barriers to national stability and prosperity.

Currently, an estimated 5.6 million people are affected due to the unreliable rains, with 3.4 million people being food insecure.

Of concern are the 2.6 million who are severely affected with a total of 369,277 children acutely malnourished in the Arid and Semi-Arid regions of Kenya, requiring urgent humanitarian support to alleviate the situation.

Our Interventions

UNDP Kenya and implementing partners have been working in collaboration with counties governments of Turkana, Kwale, Kilifi, Garissa and Tana River funded by the Government of Japan, with the aim of: Ensuring that communities are equipped to recover their livelihoods; Strengthening governments’ capacity at national and county level for conflict and disaster preparedness and response; and Enhancing sustainable gender sensitive livelihoods and economies.