In Summary
- Kenya empasizes food and nutrition security as crucial for national development
- The country faces a tripple burden of mulnutrition,impacting health and economic productivity.
- The ministry of agriculture and livestock development implements nutrition-sensitive agriculture intervations to improve livelihood.
Kenya hosted a pivotal workshop on Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food System Transformation for IFAD projects in East and Southern Africa.
The event has drawn over 50 project staff from 16 countries, including representatives from the Near East and Northern Africa regions.
Governments commitment to food and nutrition security
Kenyan officials, emphasized the nation’s commitment to food and nutrition security.
They highlighted that the government’s goal, is enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and Kenya Vision 2030, to ensure a food-secure, healthy, and productive nation.
Kenya faces a triple burden of malnutrition, including under nutrition, micro nutrient deficiencies, and rising obesity rates.
Economic impact of Mulnutrition.
The workshop addressed malnutrition, a significant health and economic issue in the region.
Officials noted malnutrition’s economic impact, reducing GDP by up to 11% and individual earning potential by 22%.
Despite progress in reducing stunting among children under five in Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Uganda, the region still struggles to meet nutrition targets.
Participants are exploring rural agriculture’s potential to provide diverse, nutritious foods through innovation, technology, and science-based solutions.
IFAD promotes investments in diverse, sustainable agricultural production systems to ensure healthy food availability year-round.
Key initiatives include value chain development, job creation for women and youth, and food waste reduction.
Expert collaboration and knowledge sharing
The workshop gathers experts in agronomy, markets, gender, aquaculture, and nutrition to share knowledge and experiences.
The goal is to enhance project performance with a stronger focus on nutrition-sensitive agriculture in annual work plans and budgets.
Intergrating nutrition with broader development goals
The event empasized the need to integrate nutrition with gender empowerment, youth, indigenous peoples, and climate considerations to build resilient food systems.
IFAD and its regional partners are committed to transforming food systems to deliver healthy diets and break the cycle of malnutrition in East and Southern Africa.
Kenya’s officials encourage cross-learning and collaboration among delegates to apply gained knowledge and improve actions in their home countries. IFAD looks forward to seeing tangible results from this workshop on the ground.
