The UN has lauded Kenya’s Hunger Safety Net Programme for its role in mitigating food insecurity, especially in Northern counties.
In a joint report, Unicef, the World Health Organization, WFP and FAO say it is an example of a flexible and scalable social protection programme countries should use to provide a rapid response when the income of households is affected.
The programme under the Ministry of Devolution targets selected poor households in Turkana, Wajir, Marsabit and Mandera counties.
So far, more than Sh3.4 billion has been given to Mandera residents, Sh3.3 billion to those from Marsabit, Sh6.2 billion in Turkana and Sh3 billion in Wajir.
“During more stable times, it functions as a standard social assistance programme, delivering cash transfers to poor households in northern counties of Kenya,” the report says.
“However, the programme is also prepared to quickly scale up its coverage to other vulnerable households during climate shocks, like droughts.”
All households living in high-risk locations have been registered bank accounts opened for each.
The government established the National Safety Net Programme in September 2013 as part of its initiatives to improve and enhance social protection delivery in the country.
The establishment of the NSNP was to provide a common operating framework for the government’s four cash transfer programmes; Persons With Severe Disabilities Cash Transfer, Older Persons Cash Transfer, Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Cash (CT- OVC) and the Hunger Safety Net Cash Transfer.
So far, more than 374,806 households in Northern Kenya receive cash assistance in the case of extreme weather events.
“Using satellite data, an early warning system indicates when an area is affected, allowing the programme to respond by delivering additional cash transfers to all the households in the area.”
The system is through a fully operational bank account with an ATM Mastercard.
Cash is deposited to the household’s bank account on the fifth of the first month of the payment cycle.
To access cash, a beneficiary will use an ATM card at payment agents within their sub-location, ATMs or over the counter of their local bank branch or any Equity branch.
Chiefs and assistant chiefs are at the centre of grassroots communications.
The report also notes that the National School Feeding Programme is another possible social protection programme.
“During periods of economic difficulty, children face the risk of being taken out of school to contribute to the household income as well as of having less access to nutritious and balanced meals,” the report states.
The programme targets 31 counties especially those in arid and semi-arid areas.
It aims at not only providing meals in schools but also meet the nutritional needs of the school-going children.
Edited by R.Wamochie
