Approximately 83 percent of the total area of Kenya is classified as arid and semi-arid land (ASAL) with most agricultural and pastoralist activities depending on rain in order to be sustainable. This makes the country vulnerable to extreme droughts. Climate change has taken its toll in the country, leading to erratic rainfall patterns and extended, life-threatening droughts. Erratic rainfall has led to significant reductions in crop and livestock production. This has led to a ripple effect on conflict between nomadic pastoralist and farmer communities, which compete with each other for already limited resources. Against this backdrop, poverty rates, insecurity and poor infrastructure have increased in many regions within Kenya.

This analysis is focused on the counties of of Isiolo, Marsabit and Meru, located in northern Kenya. Livelihoods in the Marsabit and Isiolo counties are predominantly pastoralist, while in Meru mixed farming is the most common livelihood.

Household resilience to food insecurity in the three counties was examined using the FAO Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis (RIMA) model. The analysis identifies the determinants of resilience and food security, and also explores resilience variations across Isiolo, Marsabit and Meru counties. The report provides a description of the profiling of households targeted in the three counties and a powerful instrument for the Government of Kenya and all partners operating in areas related to resilience for determining the effectiveness of resilience-building interventions.