The government is set to roll out a programme that will see the urban poor and vulnerable persons in the country benefit from a 600 million shillings initiative to cushion them from the food insecurity impacts.

The Okoa Jamii Programme set to be piloted in Nairobi this month, will see over 100,000 poor and vulnerable persons, particularly those in informal settlements receive a 1,500 shillings monthly allowance.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the programme will be implemented in three phases by the government and its development partners.

He was speaking Wednesday at his Treasury office after receiving an interim report of a task force formed to come up with a food subsidy scheme to cushion the poor from increasing food prices and effects of famine.

Odinga said the project will run as a pilot in Nairobi for nine months after which it will be rolled out to other urban centres in the country.

"Each household will be receiving Sh1,500 per month delivered through mobile phone transfer and electronic card system," the PM said.

The recommendations of the task force await cabinet approval, with the premier optimistic that they shall be no delays in implementing the programme.

The programme will be implemented by the ministry of gender, in partnership with the World Food Programme and British charity Oxfam.