Government disburses Sh422m to arid counties to reduce hunger

Turkana County is to receive the largest share, of Sh 107.5 million for 39,831 households. [File, Standard]

The Government has released Sh 422.4 million in cash transfers to vulnerable households in eight drought-affected counties under the Hunger Safety Net Programme (HSNP).

The funds released through the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) will benefit 132,779 households in Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir, Turkana, Samburu, Isiolo, Garissa, and Tana River counties.

According to NDMA Chief Executive Officer Hared Adan, households will each receive a monthly stipend of Sh 2,700 to help cushion them against the impacts of drought and climate-related shocks.

The disbursement includes Sh 358.5 million for August 2025 stipends, distributed across the eight counties. 

Turkana County is to receive the largest share, of Sh 107.5 million for 39,831 households, followed by Mandera (Sh 59.6 million for 22,107 households), Marsabit (Sh 55 million for 20,387 households), and Wajir (Sh 51.7 million for 19,171 households). 

Other county allocations include Garissa (Sh 24.9 million for 9,217 households), Samburu (Sh 21.9 million for 8,118 households), Tana River (Sh 19.8 million for 7,329 households), and Isiolo (Sh 17.9 million for 6,619 households).

Additionally, the government has disbursed Sh 63.9 million in stipends for July 2025 to 23,687 households in four sub-counties of Turkana. 

Beneficiaries are 6,833 households in Turkana North (Sh 18.4 million), 6,751 households in Turkana South (Sh 18.2 million), 6,351 households in Loima (Sh 17.1 million), and 3,752 households in Turkana East (Sh 10.1 million).

The beneficiaries are to access their funds through Kenya Commercial Bank and Equity Bank branches and agents in their respective counties.

 The NDMA has urged registered beneficiaries with pending issues related to their Payment Service Providers to visit their nearest bank branches to update their details.

Adan said the HSNP, part of the broader Inua Jamii social protection programme, plays a crucial role in supporting families to purchase food and meet basic needs while building resilience against drought shocks.

“The targeted eight counties are among those most affected by drought, which continually undermines livelihoods and coping capacities. Through HSNP, we are committed to reducing poverty, hunger, and vulnerability,” he said.

The HSNP is also implemented under the Kenya Social and Economic Inclusion Project (KSEIP) and remains one of the Government’s flagship social protection initiatives aimed at ending drought emergencies.