Almost half a million refugees in Daadab and Kakuma camps face hard times as the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is set to cut food rations by 30 percent citing insufficient funding.
“We are facing a critical shortage of resources which has compelled us to reduce the amount of food given to the refugees only six months after we resumed full rations,” said WFP Representative and Country Director Annalisa Conte.
She added: “WFP urgently needs Sh2.8 billion (US$28.5 million) to adequately cover the food assistance needs for the refugees for the next six months.”
WFP provides food assistance to refugees in Kenya as a combination of food (cereals, pulses, vegetable oil, and nutrient-enriched flour) and cash transfers sent via mobile phones used to buy fresh food items from local traders.
Starting this month, WFP will reduce the share of food while keeping the cash transfers unchanged.
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Overall, the 420,000 registered refugees living in Dadaab and Kakuma camps will receive a food ration equivalent to 70 percent of their requirements.
In addition, WFP will not provide fortified flour to the general population as the low stocks remaining will be prioritized for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers through health clinics. This may lead to a rise in levels of malnutrition among the refugees.
“Cutting rations is a last resort and we hope that it is only a short-term measure as we continue to appeal to the international community to assist,” said Conte.
“An abrupt halt to food assistance would be devastating for the refugees, most of whom rely fully on WFP for their daily meals.”
WFP has provided food and cash to refugees this year thanks to donations from Canada, China, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), Germany, Hungary, Japan, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.
If new funds are received immediately, WFP can quickly mobilize food stocks from within the region, and/or increase the amount of cash transfers to the refugees allowing them to buy adequate food from the local markets.
In addition to the general food ration and cash transfers, WFP provides nutritious foods to young children, pregnant women and nursing mothers, to stave off malnutrition.
Primary school pupils receive porridge in school, which helps them concentrate on their classes and acts as an incentive to their families to send them to school. For the time being, WFP can maintain these critical safety nets for refugees.
The WFP official also called for more efforts to end conflicts in the region and create conditions for refugees to safely return home to reduce dependency on food donations.
