The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has reduced food rations for refugees in the Country due to poor funding.
WFP says it is rapidly running out of resources to feed at least 434,000 refugees living in Dadaab and Kakuma camps and in the new Kalobeyei settlement.
Refugees in Dadaab and Kakuma camps receive a monthly in-kind food basket (such as cereals, pulses, vegetable oil, and nutrient-enriched flour) and a cash transfer equivalent to a third of their minimum food requirement. The cash allows refugees to buy fresh food products from local markets.
The Organization has not reduced cash transfers, but it has warned that cash-based assistance will be exhausted by the end of January if new resources do not become available.
In a statement, WFP representative and Country Director Annalisa Conte appealed to donors to quickly come to the aid of the refugees and salvage the situation.
"We are appealing to donors to quickly come to the aid of the refugees, who rely on WFP food assistance for survival. WFP immediately requires US$13.7 million to cover the food and cash needs for the refugees between December and April,'' she said, Tuesday.
If WFP discontinues cash transfers, close to 7,500 refugees will be affected in the newly established Kalobeyei settlement which is a ‘model’ settlement intended to offer a more durable solution to hosting refugees.
It is situated 25 kilometres west of Kakuma.
"If donors respond immediately, WFP can quickly resume the much-needed food assistance by using its mobile phone-based system to disburse cash to refugees and by mobilising food commodities from regional stocks,'' she added.