Lessons in Anticipatory Action: An operational pilot for flooding in Kenya

From July 2021 to June 2024 Save the Children implemented a research programme in Somaliland and Kenya to find out how to make anticipatory action more effective at mitigating the impact of shocks to reduce food crises. The programme was implemented through the Jameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action.

The research was implemented in north-eastern Kenya in the second half of 2023, where flooding was predicted. 13 villages were randomly assigned to receive anticipatory assistance ahead of the flooding or assistance after the flooding.

The research found that project participants appreciated early warning information, but that flood impacts were severe. It also found that households had limited anticipatory strategies to protect livelihoods, and that expenditure on food was prioritised. Despite this, improvements in food security were temporary.