An estimated 2.4 million persons, up from 1.6 million in August 2010, require food and non-food assistance for the next six months, at least. The interventions are required urgently, so as to bridge significant household food gaps while protecting livelihoods. The exceptionally poor performance of the 2010 October to December short rains occurred after similarly poor March-June long rains in the northern and northeastern pastoral areas; and the southeastern and coastal lowlands. The impacts of cumulative poor rains have precipitated a rapid decline in household food security in these areas. The deterioration in food security is significant because households and livelihoods were just beginning to recover from the effects of the prolonged drought that started in 2007 and ended in October 2009.