Acute malnutrition has been persistent among expectant mothers and children below five years in ASAL regions.
This is according to East African Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development CS Rebecca Miano.
Miano said in a statement that despite pronounced recovery across the ASAL counties, food security situation is yet to record satisfactory improvement.
The CS said the food situation is due to a time lag between recovery from drought and food availability at the household level.
"Meanwhile, acute malnutrition among expectant mothers and children below the age of five years still persists," she said.
The CS added that the number of people who needed assistance according to short rains assessment (SRA) of 2022 with regard to provision of food was 4.4 million.
She, however, said the figure is expected to drop drastically when the long rains assessment report is done by the end of June 2023.
Miano said the national drought early warning system indicated that there was flash flooding across many parts of the ASALs.
"The counties worst affected by flash floods were Marsabit, Garissa, Turkana, Tana River, Mandera and Wajir where displacements and destruction of critical facilities such as roads occurred thereby hindering movement and easy conduct of commercial activities," she added.
The CS said vegetation condition improved in the month of April as compared to the month of March 2023 courtesy of the ongoing rains.
According to the CS, the current body condition of most livestock in general is fair despite being below normal in comparison to similar periods during years of normal rainfall.
"A number of livestock diseases have been reported in Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Baringo, Turkana, Kajiado, Kilifi, Meru North, Narok and West Pokot counties."
Miano said trekking distances for households and livestock are in general shorter compared to what they were in March.
