According to the latest «Humanitarian Survey of East Africa» by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 4.1 million KSh are experiencing severe food shortages. This puts the country among the fastest growing hotbeds of humanitarian disaster on the continent.
The analytical report identifies Kenya as one of the countries, such as South Sudan, Sudan and Tanzania, where the highest increase in food insecurity was observed in the second quarter of 2026. Statistics refute the view that food crises in East Africa are limited to areas of armed conflict, as in Sudan or Somalia. On the contrary, Kenya is involved in an expanding famine corridor starting in northern Tanzania, passing through its territory and reaching southern Ethiopia.
«We are facing one of the most serious humanitarian disasters: in 2026, 48.5 million people will need assistance. Of these, 40.5 million are in conditions of critical food insecurity or worse, which is 1.6 million more than in the previous quarter», the document says.
The deterioration of the food situation in Kenya is not only caused by the drought. A combination of factors creates a protracted crisis. Climate change causes extreme weather events. Although precipitation has increased in some areas, the unpredictable weather is disrupting economic fundamentals. OCHA fears that the El Nino phenomenon expected in 2026 could worsen the humanitarian situation in East Africa. It is predicted that there will be a lack of precipitation and heat until September, and the rainy season from October to December may lead to flooding.
For the pastoral and agrarian communities of Turkana, Marsabit, Vajir, Garissa and Mandera counties, this situation leads to constant losses. Animals weakened by drought are vulnerable to infection and dehydration, and crops that survive drought can be destroyed by floods.
Even the availability of food on the market does not guarantee its availability: low-income families cannot cope with high prices for food, transport and agricultural resources. OCHA notes that the crisis in the Middle East is causing inflation in the prices of fuel, transport and food in the region, which exacerbates the vulnerability of economic and food structures. Households that spend most of their budget on food may face a sharp deterioration in the situation with a minimal rise in food prices. Conflicts in neighboring countries cause a chain reaction of negative consequences.
The humanitarian situation in East Africa continues to be defined by armed conflicts. Instability in Sudan, South Sudan, and other regions continues to destabilize trade routes, undermine local incomes, and disrupt migration patterns. According to OCHA, the number of refugees in the region has reached six million, mainly due to events in South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya. These migration processes increase the demand for food, overload local services and deplete humanitarian reserves.
The food markets of the countries of the East African Community (EAC) are closely linked by trade, migration and climate threats. During periods of shortage, corn from northern Tanzania enters Kenyan markets, and the cattle farms of Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania are united by a common market. Droughts, floods, conflicts, or price spikes in one country cause shortages and price increases in neighboring countries. The inclusion of Tanzania in the list of countries with high food insecurity indicates stress in the regional food system. As climate change intensifies, these weaknesses will become even more pronounced.
In addition to famine, the region is facing other humanitarian threats. OCHA reports that the incidence of cholera more than doubled in the second quarter, and outbreaks of monkeypox continue to affect vulnerable groups. In East Africa, 8.3 million children aged six months to five years suffer from acute malnutrition, demonstrating the devastating impact of food insecurity. The humanitarian sector is experiencing a shortage of funds: by the middle of the year, international appeals for assistance had been funded by only 21%-33%, which limits the ability to respond to needs.
Prospects show that the emerging «hunger belt» from northern Tanzania through Kenya to southern Ethiopia reflects a new reality: the causes of malnutrition in East Africa are not limited to drought alone. The impact of climate change, inflation, conflict, rising fuel prices, displacement of people and a weak agricultural system creates a persistent crisis. Even with rainfall recovery, families remain vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks. Without significant investments in climate-adaptive agriculture, irrigation, water management, trade development and social protection, food insecurity will remain a key problem in the region. For Kenya and other EAC members, the priority is to create sustainable food systems that can withstand climate and economic challenges.
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