Last updated: 09/1/2024

Basic Information

Country
Geographic area
Institutions and agencies involved
Kenya - National Drought Management Authority, NDMA, Kenya - Government Profile
References
Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed on: 23/11/2023.
Population group
Poor households

Programme Details

Programme objectives

The programme's main objective is to deliver regular and emergency cash transfers. The core objectives are: a) To ensure effective, financially secure, and well-targeted use of safety net and cash transfer programmes to support some of the most vulnerable and poor in Kenya; b) Implement a scaled-up, integrated, effective Government-led, and financed safety net programme.

References
Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed on: 23/11/2023.
Programme components
1. Regular cash transfers (Group 1) 2. Emergency cash transfers, to additional households, triggered by the Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) against set thresholds which determine the number of beneficiaries and target sub-counties. (Group 2)
References
Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed on: 23/11/2023
Previous programme name (if any)
Hunger Safety Net Programme Pilot Phase
Coverage
101,800 households were covered during HSPN II (2013-2019) under regular cash transfers. A further 273,006 beneficiaries were eligible for emergency scale-up payments during climate-related disasters such as drought and flooding. HSPN III (2019- ) aims to cover 32,000 additional households under regular cash transfers.
References
Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed on: 23/11/2023
Programme expenditure
For HSNP II, the government of Kenya committed KES 4.68 billion to the program, which accounted for 26% of the funding.
References
Song, S. and Imai, K. (2019). Does the Hunger Safety Net Programme reduce multidimensional poverty? Evidence from Kenya, Development Studies Research, 6:1, 47-61. Available at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21665095.2019.1582347 Accessed on: 23/11/2023

Targeting and eligiblity

Targeting methods
Proxy Means Test
Geographical Targeting
Community-Based Targeting
References
Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed on: 23/11/2023
Targeted areas
Eight poorest and arid counties, namely; Turkana, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Garissa, Tana River, Isiolo, and Samburu.
References
Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed on: 23/11/2023
Target groups
The most vulnerable and poor in Kenya
References
Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed on: 23/11/2023
Eligibility criteria
A two-pronged selection criterion was employed during beneficiary targeting namely; 1. Proxy Mean Test (PMT) - Electronic selection of beneficiaries based on set predetermined socio-economic parameters to generate a household Livelihood Condition Score (HLCS). • Cannot afford to meet basic expenses (regular nutritious food, adequate housing, and sanitation, etc) let alone invest in human capital development • Lack assets to earn sufficient income even in good years • Are vulnerable to sinking into further depth of poverty in times of extreme shocks e.g. drought, livestock disease; floods etc • Likely to engage in harmful coping strategies e.g. selling of assets, pulling children from school to earn for family, heavy borrowing • With elderly, without adult labour, long term illness, severely Disabled • Lack capacity to participate in productive programs e.g. income generating activities. 2. Community-based validation - Communities and the village interrogate the register after the PMT to identify and rectify any inclusion errors, exclusion errors, and missed households
References
(i) Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed on: 23/11/2023 (ii) Social Protection Secretariat. (n/d). Hunger Safety Net Programme. Available at: https://nsps.socialprotection.go.ke/social-protection-components/social-assistance/national-safety-net-program/hunger-safety-net-programme-hsnp Accessed on: 22/12/2023

Coverage and other information

Type of benefits
Cash
References
Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed on: 23/11/2023
Amount of benefits
HSNP Group 1 beneficiaries receive Ksh5,400 per household every two months while Group 2 beneficiaries receive a monthly stipend of Kshs2,700 when a drought or shock is triggered.
References
Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed on: 23/11/2023
Payment/delivery frequency
Every two months for Group 1 (regular cash transfers), and when a drought or shock is triggered for Group 2 (emergency cash transfers)
References
Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed on: 23/11/2023
Benefit delivery mechanism
All beneficiaries have bank accounts that are linked to debit cards operated through biometrics – fingerprint information and an identifying photograph. To claim benefits, programme recipients must go to pay-point agencies and insert the smart card into a point-of-sale device that reads the card and scans the recipient’s fingerprint, verifying the recipient’s identity and authorizing the agent to hand over cash.
References
(i) Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed 23/11/2023 Accessed on: 23/11/2023 (ii) Carmona, M. (2018). Is biometric technology in social protection programmes illegal or arbitrary? An analysis of privacy and data protection. Social Protection Department, International Labour Organization. ESS ─ Working Paper No. 59. Available at: https://www.social-protection.org/gimi/Media.action;jsessionid=bGzu7DeOWbpJLtHvIIma0YE947r8arM5Yafzsb8Ww46PjhXUjAUq!1945465934?id=16522 Accessed on: 23/11/2023
Benefit recipients
The cash transfer recipient is a member of the household who has a national identity card.
References
Hunger Safety Net Program (n/d). About Hunger Safety Net Program. Available at: https://www.hsnp.or.ke/index.php/as/objectives Accessed on: 23/11/2023
Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and frequency
Since the National Safety Net Programme (NSNP) was created in 2013, considerable progress has been made towards achieving the objectives and key indicators of the programme. With regard to M&E, the four cash transfer programmes under NSNP (which includes the HSNP) have all begun to report on the common indicators as set out in the NSNP monitoring framework. Furthermore, each programme now has a functioning MIS that is able to record and report on all pertinent program-related information. Additionally, there are several monitoring and evaluation activities that have taken place by external independent firms or are currently underway to collect additional information on the progress that the NSNP has been making towards achieving its objectives.
References
Ministry of Labour and East African Aff¬airs. 2016. Inua Jamii Towards a More Effective National Safety Net for Kenya: Progress Report. National Safety Net Programme. Available at: https://nsps.socialprotection.go.ke/images/downloads/NSNP-Progress-Report_March_2016.pdf. Accessed on: 18/12/2023.
MIS
The programme´s MIS contains a registration module for both targeting and enrollment that contains beneficiary data. The MIS also has a payment module to make post-payroll checks and reconciliations more efficient, accurate, and timely. In addition, the MIS has a change management module that can produce beneficiary lists that identify households that no longer meet the eligibility criteria. The MISs also contain modules for registering complaints and grievances, and they are currently being decentralized to the county level to improve the management of incoming data from the local level. Additionally, the MIS is able to support M&E by being able to produce reports on any data of interest. Finally, the programme MIS is able to link to and provide information to the common Single Registry.
References
Ministry of Labour and East African Aff¬airs. 2016. Inua Jamii Towards a More Effective National Safety Net for Kenya: Progress Report. National Safety Net Programme. Available at: https://nsps.socialprotection.go.ke/images/downloads/NSNP-Progress-Report_March_2016.pdf. Accessed on: 18/12/2023.