Academia Engelberg Conference 16th – 17th October 2014

Buoga Jared Omondi – Executive Director, Tembea

Challenges Towards a Food and Nutrition Secure Future:-

Food Systems Approach to Kenyan Situation

Kenya Country Brief.

75-80% Rural Population – with

approx. 0.2Ha of arable and permanent

cropland per inhabitant

Life expectancy

Youthful Population of

40 million people in 2009

census

3.0% Annual Population growth rate

Kenya Country – Food Security Situation

• Pastoral areas in the northern and eastern Kenya experienced low Precipitation and high temps in period preceding Jan 2014 –hence passed from stress (IPC 2) to crisis (IPC 3)

Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWSNET) updates on IPC reports show that most of the country is in Phase 2 (stressed)

• FEWSNET indicated low cereal harvestbelow long-term averages in central and Western Kenya

Food System Outcomes

• Environmental HealthFEWSNET 2010 reports that Kenya’s critical surplus growing areas in Central Kenya are threatened, and the amount of prime arable land could diminish substantially.

Opening and settlement of forest diversity is on the rise as a result of pressures on available arable land.

“Tana Delta - Land grab” emergence –long term land lease for biofuels.

Food System OutcomesFood and Nutrition Security

KDHS2008-09 - 7% of the U5 children are wasted and 16% are underweight. Stunting in children stand at 46% for children aged 18-23months.

On flip side, Zariba et al 2009 indicate that there is a growing obese women population among the urban poor/rich in Kenya. Urban accounting for 38% whereas Rural 18%.

Food System Outcomes• Social Well-being The future of Agriculture

and food systems in the RURAL appears bleak as the production system is predominantly old population especially women.

This brings GENDER PARITY issues in food systems matrix – and its critical role in food systems at the grassroots.

Contributors to undesirable outcomesBoundary Conditions:• Encroachment and destruction of natural capital – biodiversity

decline=food insecurity• Climate information dissemination barriers • Low Budgetary Allocation on Agriculture by the National

Government• Unfavorable market environment for smallholder farmers. • High cost of farm inputs (fertilizer and seeds)• Low appropriate technological know-how - breeding,

adaptation to climate change,

What’s the future now??

• Family Farming – small holder sustainable intensification?

…….pathway strives to utilize the existing land to produce greater yields, better nutrition and higher net incomes while reducing over reliance on pesticides and fertilizers and lowering emissions of harmful greenhouse gases. (Montpellier Report 2013)

Opportunities for Intervention

ACCESSIBILITY OF INPUTS AND

CREDIT

DOMESTC RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

CAPACITY BUILDING – AND SHARING THE

EXPERTISE

APPROPRIATE AND EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND

PROCESSES

INCREASED INVESTMENT IN RURAL AGRIC MARKET SYSTEMS AND LINKAGES

Source: Montepellier Panel report 2013

Case Study

• Get a deeper understanding of Kenya’s perspective of food and nutrition security efforts from the Civil Society Organization and Government

• Explore with us solutions for global challenges at local scale.

NUTRIENT CYCLING

Thank you

Tembea Youth Centre for Sustainable Development

buogager@gmail.comwww.tembea.org