Review of policies and frameworks on climate change, agriculture, food and nutrition security in kenya. Household food security was constructed from a set of four key items while education was the average years of schooling for individuals aged 18 years and above in a household. It discusses the effects of food insecurity on several types of conflict, and the political, social, and demographic factors that may exacerbate these effects. Food security and kenyas big four agenda one acre fund. Kenya is one of the countries in subsaharan africa that is not able to feed its population sufficiently. Most community based projects in kenya which are aimed at ensuring the food security in the country have. Food security in this case is defined as a situation in which all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life kenya food security steering group, 2008. Smart survey and sentinel site data collected in june and july 2019 by the kenya food security steering group1 indicates that food insecurity has significantly worsened since the may midseason. This will in turn help to alleviate the countrys dependency on food aid and foster positive long term solutions to food security. Kenya food security outlook update, august 2019 kenya.
Food security and environmental sustainability in kenya by kariuki. According to a new institute for security studies report, annual agricultural production will need to increase by an estimated 75% from 2015 levels in order to meet consumption in 2030. Kenya food security outlook june 2017 to january 2018. Global food security strategy gfss kenya country plan usaid. Kenya food security outlook june 2017 to january 2018 fews net. Research open access factors affecting sustainability of. We wish to acknowledge and appreciate the support of the swedish government in the development of agriculture in the country and in particular for their commitment to the development of the sector through the asdsp. The effect of education on household food security in two.
This plan describes the key drivers of food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty. Although the entire food system is a source of greenhouse gas emissions, primary production is by far the most important component. In addition, a household iodized salt survey is carried out annually in schools to determine levels of iodine consumption coverage. In terms of data collection on food security risks, actors include the kenya food security steering group. The government will build capacity and ensure the availability of quality and timely food security and nutrition data, information and analysis for better formulation and management of integrated food security and nutrition policies, programmes and action. Food security report prepared by kenya agricultural. Other sources include rice, wheat, beans, irish and sweet potatoes and traditional foods such as sorghum, millet, cassava, arrow roots and yams. This poses critical challenges to food security in the country as 2 to 4 million people receive food aid annually.
Research open access factors affecting sustainability of community food security projects in kiambu county, kenya mary stella n wabwoba and jacob w wakhungu abstract background. National food and nutrition security policy national food and nutrition security policy 6. Comprehensive food security and vulnerability survey. Food security and environmental sustainability in kenya by. Food security refers to the availability of food and ones access to it. Conference on food and nutrition security in africa. It has been observed that food security is a growing concern worldwide, with more than one billion people estimated to lack sufficient dietary energy availability, and at least twice that number suffering micronutrient deficiencies. Kenya food security brief page 4 the following definitions guide the analysis of the food security brief.
Boon tubers in africa is the lowest in comparison to the other regions of the world. The food security portal is designed to pool information in structured ways and ensure data quality, timeliness, and relevance, as well as the opportunity for collaboration among policymakers, development professionals, and researchers. In kenya, food consumption is outpacing food production. The policy discourse around food security in kisumu centres. Humanitarian assistance is ongoing in various parts of kenya, with the scale of assistance mitigating the severity of outcomes in parts of turkana with poor households in stressed. It is mainly caused by poor policies and cultural practices. Women play a pivotal role in the three components of food security. The achievement of national food security is to be a key objective of the agricultural sector. The nature, extent, and duration of coping strategies employed by the urban poor in the face of food crisis and consequent food insecurity, will determine the magnitude and severity of their suffering. Food security in kenya is closely tied to domestic agricultural. Food security, as defined by the united nations committee on world food security, means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life. Read this article to learn about the importance of food security for a country. Pdf this chapter investigates the extent of food insecurity in kisumu and examines the sources of food of the citys residents.
Pdf the issue of food security in kenya researchgate. It then discusses the interventions that can break the link. Factors influencing food security in kenya zakenya. Precooked beans for food, nutrition, and income in kenya. Improving food security in kenya through better postharvest management by samson odongo alumnus francis musavi, plant protection officer front left, with a representative from the ministry of agriculture and australian high commissioner, he mr geoff tooth front right, at a postharvest management public diplomacy event held in kenya in 20.
Production of these food crops have increased in the recent years. Government of kenya gok interventions, usaid and other international humanitarian assistance, and nearnormal rainfall during the 2015 marchtomay long rains resulted in relatively improved food security, and nearly 1. The government policy objective is to increase the quantity and quality of food available and accessible in order to ensure that all kenyans have an adequate, diverse and healthy diet. Improving food security in kenya through better post. Incentives are needed to persuade crop and livestock producers, agro. Pdf food security is one of the indicators regarding the level of countrys development and was named the first mdgs that to be reached by the 2015 find. Although beans are typically consumed without much processing, this project will promote the added value of precooking beans to improve food security, generate income, and preserve the environment. Food insecurity is whereby the country does not have adequate policies and strategies to ensure that there is sufficient food for all people to avoid instances of starving due to lack of food. The agriculture sector directly contributes about 28% of kenya s gross domestic product gdp, and accounts for 65% of the total export earnings. Lessons and best practices from the vietnam experience. Food security research findings and recommendations. Using longitudinal data collected between 2007 and 2012 in kenya, we investigated the effect of household education attainment on food security among poor urban households.
The number of people in need of emergency food assistance in kenya decreased by approximately 33 percent between february and august, from nearly 1. Impact of drought on food security in west pokot county. Moreover, only about 20 percent of kenyan land is suitable for farming, and maximum yields have not been reached in these areas, leaving considerable potential for increases in productivity. Kimiywe department of foods, nutrition and dietetics, kenyatta university, p. According to the world resources institute, global per capita food. The world food programme wfp is accelerating its shift from the direct provision of food assistance and services in kenya to the strengthening of national systems and capacities to deliver food and nutrition security. And food security in subsaharan africa ssa building a case for more public support the case of kenya a paper prepared for the policy assistance unit of the fao subregional office for east and southern africa by kangethe w.
Climate change, the result of the unsustainable development of currently developed economies, as well impacts heavily, by draughts or floods, food security in kenya. Food assistance fact sheet kenya food assistance u. Development of a food safety policy framework for kenya. Review of policies and frameworks on climate change. In pastoral areas, partial regeneration of rangeland is expected to lead to an atypically early lean season in july. Top priorities for the continent in 2012 strategies to improve food security in africa vera songwe the priority global food prices were high and volatile in 2011, a trend. As of october, kenya hosted over 262,000 somali and 119,000 south sudanese who rely heavily on humanitarian assistance. The integrated food security phase classification ipc is a standardized tool that aims to classify the severity and magnitude of acute food insecurity. Kenyas decreasing support to agriculture has resulted in an increasing dependence on food imports and food aid. A household is considered food secure when its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of starvation. Gender, agriculture, and assets project gaap project.
One study, however, conducted in viwandani and korogocho in. In kenya, agriculture is a key driver of economic growth and social development. Kenya s food security in the interest of china monday august 2018 a fisherman carries a 30kilogramme nile perch at usenge bay, lake victoria, kenya. Kenya food security outlook june 2017 to january 2018 famine early warning systems network 3 though typical at this time of the year, households are engaging in these activities more than usual. According to a new institute for security studies report, annual agricultural production will need to. Food selfsufficiency advocated in the 1970s and supported by many countries was replaced in the 1990s by the concept of food security, the objective of which is to make available all foodstuffs in sufficient quantities and with the adequate nutritional qualities, whatever is their origin, be they produced.