Kenya's food shortage is also having an effect on its ability to look after the 490,000 refugees in the country, including over 264,000 from Somalia and a further 122,000 from South Sudan who are mainly hosted in camps in Turkana and Garissa counties. Turkana as received only 10% of its usual rainfall over the six months between June - November 2021 and most water sources across the county are water stressed with over 80% of water pans/rock catchments having dried up and traditional river wells becoming harder to obtain water from. The World Food Programme based in Lodwar in Turkana County recently reported, "It's estimated about 600,000 members of the population in Turkana County are in need of food or cash assistance". The situation in Garissa County is not quite so dire however there are still severe vegetation deficits and December 2021's rainfall was at 42mm compared with a long term average of 50mm.

Climate change means the dry spells in this part of northern Kenya are likely to be ongoing, more frequent and worse. Although the area is home to Lake Turkana, that is a saltwater lake meaning its water is undrinkable. Instead locals, in the absence of any meaningful rainfall, have to rely on boreholes for their water but, with no real irrigation systems, that cannot sustain food production and the water table continues to shrink. With a growing population in Kenya there will be even less water available in future years. Ironically the aridness of the soil has led to flash floods as when rain finally does fall, the land cannot absord the water, destroying what few crops are growing at this time, stoking up more problems for the years to come. The map above shows the pending food crisis across the Horn of Africa with much of the area being defined as 'stressed' or in 'crisis' while the video left explore s the issue of food shotages in Kenya in more detail.