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Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda: Triple Threat Needs Assessment - Post long rains, Covid-19 and Desert Locust

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ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES

This assessment was led to gain a better insight to the Flood, Desert Locust and Covid-19 impacts in Kenya arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL), Somalia, Nakapiripirit District of Uganda and Liben Zone of Ethiopia, on livelihood, food security, shelter and access to water in affected areas. It is specifically aimed to:

  1. Get further clarity on the flood situation and locust infestation status in the affected countries of East Africa

  2. Better understand the floods, desert locust and Covid-19 impacts, on affected populationsin the area

  3. Gather further evidence to inform the humanitarian community on the type of assistance needed to plan responses to the needs identified and tailored to the most vulnerable

SITUATION UPDATE

DESERT LOCUSTS: October, 2020 – Desert locusts continue to pose a major threat to food security and livelihoods in the Greater Horn of Africa. As per the latest Situation update published by the FAO, locust swarms are still being detected across the Horn of Africa, in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. Local breeding in the Northwest of Kenya is likely to occur with the short coming rains, while hatching and band formation have commenced in the past few days in the northwest of Somalia and more is expected in the coming weeks, including the northwest once egglaying occurs. In Ethiopia, a new generation of breeding has started in the far eastern portion of the Somali region where hatching and hopper bands are forming. More laying, hatching and band formation will occur in this area during November.

FLOODS: Since the beginning of the “long rains“ season (March 2020), the Greater Horn of Africa region is faced with heavy rainfall. The current seasonal rains are conducive for the reproduction of the Desert locust and new swarms are affecting the crop season and pasture availability across the whole region. The combination of food insecurity, Desert locust, and floods have increased the vulnerability and the number of people in need.

COVID-19: The COVID-19 situation in the Horn and East Africa region has entered its seventh month since the first cases were reported in March 2020. While some countries start to lighten Covid-19 restrictions, the pandemic has been having a devastating impact on already fragile livelihoods and unstable economies in the Horn and East Africa. Some of these impacts may include reduced agricultural productivity, weak supply chains, increased cross border trade tensions, limited employment prospects.