ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN)

ASAL Humanitarian Network – Drought Response Results

Cash Transfers Improve Food Security and Household Wellbeing Across Seven ASAL Counties

Midline Assessment – January 2022

The ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN), with funding from Oxfam and support from Concern Worldwide and ACTED, implemented a multi-county multi-purpose cash transfer (MPCT) programme across Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, and Wajir. The intervention, implemented by eight local partners — TUPADO, WASDA, ALDEF, PGI, PACIDA, SWT, SND, and MID-P — provided two cash rounds between November 2021 and January 2022, reaching 4,991 households.

The midline assessment, conducted by IMPACT Initiatives, reveals marked improvements in food security and household welfare after the first transfer:

  • Food Consumption Score (FCS): poor FCS declined from 72.2% to 34.8%, while acceptable FCS rose from 11.8% to 32.9%.

  • Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS): medium or high HDDS increased from 14.3% to 23.7%.

  • Households unable to meet basic needs: fell from 65.7% to 39.7%.

  • Average monthly income: increased from KES 2,873 to KES 10,205, a 255% rise largely attributed to cash transfers.

  • Average monthly expenditure: grew from KES 2,927 to KES 8,926, with spending on food dropping from 61% to 55%, showing greater expenditure diversification.

Cash was overwhelmingly preferred via mobile money (98.9%), and 99% of households reported satisfaction with the process. 77% reported being consulted by NGO staff, and 99% felt safe and respected throughout the programme.

The findings affirm that cash transfers effectively improved household food access and purchasing power across Kenya’s ASALs. Beneficiaries recommended increasing transfer amounts, prolonging programme duration, and complementing cash with livelihoods support to enhance long-term resilience.