Hostile climates can greatly affect poverty, restricting people’s ability to make a living, provide for themselves and survive amid extreme temperatures. In Kenya, when harsh environments impede the ability to survive financially, the government steps in to help. The Hunger Safety Net Programme (HSNP), run by the National Drought Management Authority of Kenya (NDMA), is a program that aims to provide unconditional financial support through cash transfers for the eight most dry and poverty-vulnerable counties in Kenya: Turkana, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Garissa, Isiolo, Samburu and Rana River.

Drought-Driven Poverty

HSNP focuses on these “arid or semi-arid lands (ASALs)” because they are prone to food insecurity and poverty. Severe drought makes farming and food production extremely difficult, leaving families starving without income to buy food and relying on emergency food aid. Drought along with failing rain seasons chronically exacerbates poverty and the threat of death from starvation. With money from HSNP, families can purchase enough food and varied ingredients to feed their families and pay for education, keeping them from dropping into life-threatening circumstances. The government disburses Ksh537 million ($3 million) to poor families to mitigate the effects of drought.

Evaluation of the Kenya HSNP, Oxford Policy Management

In 2009, the HSNP  began as a collaboration effort between the NDMA and the Department for International Development. The initial pilot phase started in the same year, focusing on providing cash transfers to households in arid regions of the country. After this success, more phases followed, with the second launching in 2013 to expand coverage and introduce additional components like livelihood support. The third phase began in 2019, aiming to enhance resilience and sustainability.

How the Hunger Safety Net Program Works

There are two groups of HSNP beneficiaries: those who receive money bi-monthly and direly need help and those who only receive funds in case of emergency like a sudden drought or economic shock. For all applications, one person must be in the household with a national identity card to receive the money, and the climate must suffer from drought. Submissions are evaluated by a PMT, or Proxy Mean Test, an “electronic selection based on set predetermined socioeconomic parameters to generate a household livelihood condition score (HLCS).”

Once accepted, beneficiaries set up a bank account with a Mastercard through which they receive money. To ensure the transfers reach the correct households safely, a fingerprint scan identifies them before they can receive the first transfer.

Impact

The program has successfully achieved its goals of helping reduce drought-driven poverty and starvation. HSNP alone provided funds to 68,621 homes; the current version supports 101,800 homes. The HSNP has big plans for the future. On that list is an expansion to support 32,000 more households in ASALs.

– Emily Shapiro
Photo: Unsplash