NAIROBI, Kenya — The World Food Programme has raised alarm over worsening food insecurity in Kenya, warning that up to 3.7 million people could face crisis-level hunger between April and June 2026.
In its latest update, the World Food Programme said more than 429,000 refugees in Dadaab, Kakuma, and Kalobeyei settlements—about 58pc of the refugee population—are already experiencing crisis levels classified under Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Phase 3 and above (IPC3+).
An additional 186,000 refugees are in IPC Phase 4, considered emergency levels, signalling a deepening humanitarian crisis in refugee-hosting areas.
The IPC scale is used globally by governments and humanitarian agencies to assess the severity of food insecurity and guide response measures.
The WFP noted that the number of Kenyans requiring urgent food assistance has nearly doubled in recent months—from 1.8 million in August 2025 to 3.3 million currently—and is projected to rise further. “Immediate support is critical,” the agency warned.
The crisis is being driven by a combination of prolonged drought, reduced humanitarian assistance, and rising food prices, which have eroded household incomes and coping capacity.
According to the agency’s country brief, ongoing drought response efforts supported by the Immediate Response Account are reaching about 160,300 people in IPC Phase 4 across four counties—Wajir, Mandera, Turkana, and Tana River—through a mix of in-kind food distribution and cash transfers.
However, this support currently covers only about 50pc of the minimum food basket needs.
Field assessments paint a stark picture of household distress. Nearly half of the affected populations are surviving on just one or two meals a day.
Many families are reducing portion sizes, skipping meals, or prioritising children’s food consumption at the expense of adults. Others are borrowing food or relying on relatives amid shrinking incomes.
The geographic spread of the crisis is also expanding. Counties now classified under IPC Phase 3 (crisis) have tripled from three to nine, including Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera, Samburu, Isiolo, Wajir, Garissa, Tana River, and Kwale.
More severe conditions are evident in several regions where acute malnutrition has reached IPC Phase 4 (critical), including parts of Garissa, Isiolo, Wajir, Marsabit, Samburu, Turkana, and Baringo.
In Mandera, North Horr, and parts of Turkana, conditions have deteriorated further to IPC Phase 5, the most severe classification, indicating extreme food deprivation.
The humanitarian toll is significant. An estimated 810,000 children under five are acutely malnourished, alongside 116,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls, raising concerns about long-term health and development outcomes.
