Tracking subnational government investments in disaster risk reduction in Kenya

This report assesses the level of investment in DRR programmes between financial years 2016/17 and 2018/19 in four Kenyan counties – Baringo, Laikipia, Kisumu, and West Pokot, which were chosen as they are prone to droughts and flooding. The report evaluates the extent to which programme budgets are aligned with DRR objectives. The added value of this paper is three-fold: First, it narrows the knowledge gap in DRR investment and DRR mainstreaming across departments at county level. Secondly, it can be used as an input in the analysis of the DRR investment gap in the future as information on needs requirements becomes available. While it is beyond the scope of the paper to conduct cost-benefit analysis or even investment gap analysis, a risk-sensitive budget review is useful to understand the level of DRR investment counties have been making. Thirdly, the report, being the first assessment for the select counties, can serve as a baseline for future tracking.

Some key findings include:

• Counties have shown progress in developing disaster management policies and institutional frameworks. The frameworks are key to managing disaster risk and coordinating disaster risk management in the counties.
• Allocations to programmes with DRR-principal objectives are less or equal to 2% of respective county budgets and less than a quarter of total marked DRR investment, except for Kisumu county. Kisumu has the highest spending on DRR-principal objectives. 
• The bulk of DRR-significant budgets is spent by offices responsible for water provision, preventive and promotional health services, and roads and transport construction and rehabilitation.
• All counties’ total DRR investments focus on pre-DRR rather than post-disaster crisis management. However, breaking this down by DRR component reveals that Kisumu and Baringo counties’ DRR-principal budgets are more focused on response while those of West Pokot and Laikipia are focused on disaster risk preparedness and mitigation, respectively. No allocation was traced to recovery. 

The report also features recommendations on DRR budgets and funding.