Kenya, General Food Distribution Cash Modality scale up for the refugees and host community in Kakuma and Dadaab Camp: an evaluation

This report was commissioned by the Kenya Country Office (CO) of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). The main objective is to assess and report on the effects (intended or unintended, positive and negative) of the Cash Based Transfers (CBT) of the General Food Distribution (GFD) activity of PRRO 200737 from 2015-2017. This includes an examination of the effects on the local economy, food & nutrition security, income and social aspects for both refugees and host communities and assessing how scaling up of CBT affects the net distribution of costs and benefits among both host and refugee communities. The overall purpose of the evaluation is to assess the effects of scaling up the substitution of the cereal ration in in-kind assistance with CBT (first time in Kenya) while developing a model that determines the effective and efficient mix between food assistance and CBT. Findings will inform the formulation of the Country Strategic Programme which begins in June 2018.

Expected users of this evaluation are internal and external stakeholders. Namely: WFP Kenya CO, WFP Regional Bureau (RB), WFP Office of Evaluation (OEV), WFP Headquarters, the three implementing partners (World Vision, NRC, CARE International), UNHCR and FAO and donors such as DFID, ECHO, USAID, GIZ). The CBT intervention (and the entire PRRO200737) is implemented in the context of Kenya’s refugee policy that curtails refugee mobility, employment, livelihood opportunities, and property ownership. Poverty and food insecurity are prevalent, particularly in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) which host Kenya’s largest camps. Kenya is vulnerable to recurrent droughts including one during the 2016-2017 season. Gender inequality remains high in the country.

The CBT – also known as ‘Bamba Chakula (get your food in Swahili)’ - was introduced to all registered beneficiaries in the camps in response to low dietary diversity among refugees and the problem of reselling in-kind assistance at economic losses. The restricted CBT, which are non-cashable electronic vouchers delivered via beneficiary SIM cards, are provided as a substitution of the cereal part of the in-kind food ration (comprises cereals, pulses, oil and corn-soya blend). Substitution began with the CBT replacing approximately 10% of the cereal ration in August 2015 (valued at USD1/person/month) in Kakuma and January 2016 in Dadaab. As of November 2017, single member households were receiving 50% of their cereal ration as KES500 (USD5) per person per month and larger households were receiving 30% of their cereal ration as KES300 (USD3) per person per month. In Kalobeyei settlement, refugees receive KES1,400 (about 93% of total transfers) and 1.2kg of Corn Soya Blend (CSB) per person per month. The CBTs can only be used to purchase food through contracted traders.