Reduced milk consumption at the household level due to a decrease in milk production in arid and semi-arid counties has led to an increase in the proportion of children at risk of malnutrition.
The reduced milk production has been attributed to the prolonged drought that has been witnessed in the country, with ASAL counties having been affected the most.
The latest report by the National Disaster Management Authority says Kilifi, Lamu, Meru and Narok counties have recorded an improved trend in milk production as a result of the ongoing rains.
Children in Baringo, Nyeri, Kajiado, Isiolo, Wajir, Mandera, Tana River, Makueni, Marsabit, Turkana, Embu, Kwale, Meru, Samburu, Kitui, Tharaka Nithi, Garissa and Taita Taveta counties are the worst hit.
According to the report, the malnutrition situation has been worsened by poor dietary diversity and poor child-feeding practices.
“Acute malnutrition has been noted across the counties with 970,214 children aged 6 to 59 months and 142,179 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers currently malnourished acutely in need of treatment,” the NDMA report says.
Twelve counties have been mapped as having recorded a worsening trend in March.
They include Baringo, Garissa, Laikipia, Tharaka-Nithi, Wajir, Kitui, Taita-Taveta, Kwale, Makueni, Samburu and Turkana.
“Milk production during March showed a slight improvement in trend as compared to the previous month of February in most of the counties,” the report says.
According to the report, Baringo, Kajiado, Meru, Narok, Samburu and Tharaka Nithi counties have recorded an improving trend while Makueni and Narok counties' milk production was above normal.
“The current milk production status is below average as compared to a normal year in 20 of the 23 counties,” it says.
The report notes that despite the reported rains in most parts of the country in March, the rains are yet to impact production systems.
However, the vegetation condition in March generally showed slight improvement when compared to that of February due to the rains received.
The improvement in vegetation condition has been associated with impacts of the early onset of the March-April-May (MAM) rainfall season which has led to minor regeneration of vegetation in most counties.
