Kenya Has Focused On 100% Nutrition Food Security In The Last 4years. AGRF2021

Kenya Has Focused On 100% Nutrition Food Security In The Last 4years. AGRF2021

Kenya Launches AGRF2021 In Nairobi.

The 2021 Africa Agriculture Status Report (AASR21) was launched today at the ongoing AGRF 2021 Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. This year’s AASR report focuses on unpacking the concept of sustainable and resilient agri-food systems.

Key topics covered in the report include digital transformation, job creation, market opportunities, global sustainability, enhancing the nutritional quality of food products in Africa through ecosystem restoration.

According to Professor Boga Iddi Hamadi, Principal Secretary State Department for Crop Development & Agricultural Research, Kenya has the infrastructure to support the conference.

“We hosted this event successfully in 2016 and the lessons learned made it possible to host it again this year”, said Boga.

Kenya Has Focused On 100% Nutrition Food Security In The Last 4years. AGRF2021. Photo Courtesy

“As the hub, we had planned to host around 500 delegates but due to Covid-19, the number was adjusted to150, with the ecosystem to support virtual conference”, he added.

Sustainable and resilient food systems are inextricably linked with healthy farmers and consumers. Furthermore, the resilience of farmers, consumers, and food systems is mutually dependent. The status of peoples’ health worldwide is worrisome. Despite improving trends, one in every nine people in the world is hungry, and one in three is obese.

According to Prof Boga, Kenya has focused on 100% nutrition food security in the last 4years.

“We have developed the agricultural sector strategy which defines the way Kenya will conduct its agriculture business in the production of food”, he said.

While many factors contribute to different forms of malnutrition, insufficient intake of nutrient-dense foods or excessive intake of calorie-dense foods are the most common factors, Professor Boga said that the ideas that will be discussed during the summit will help the country and the world at large on food production.

As much as covid19 has amplified the challenges that the world is facing in the food system, stakeholders have been driven to urgently come up with lasting solutions towards 2030, which is the main aim of the summit.

As a key partner of AGRA- Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, Heifer International

will be actively involved in this year’s African Green Revolution Forum – AGRF themed

“Pathways to recovery and resilient food systems”.

Through their work with rural communities across Africa for 47 years, Heifer has supported and is supporting smallholder farmers and local food producers to strengthen local economies and build secure livelihoods that provide a living income.

To tackle the economic impact of the COVID19 pandemic youth engagement in agriculture is essential to rejuvenating the continent’s agri-food system and develops economic opportunities for young Africans.

The event has highlighted youth-led innovations as a crucial pathway to recovery and a resilient food system, keying into the fact that agriculture innovations have a pulling power for every stakeholder in the sector.

Kenya Has Focused On 100% Nutrition Food Security In The Last 4years. AGRF2021. Phot Courtesy

The recommendations of the AASR2021 report include;

• Invest more in agricultural Research and Development (R&D) to develop pro-nutrition seed varieties that are appropriate for local conditions and consumer preferences.
• Enhance massive adoption of nutrient-rich crop varieties or bio-fortified crops and fertilizers through input subsidies and well-functioning extension systems.
• Promote sustainable production practices to sustainably raise the productivity of staple and micronutrient-dense crops and livestock.
• Develop livestock and fisheries sectors, especially small-scale livestock and fish production systems, with breeds that are resilient to extreme heat and diseases in order to increase the production, availability, and consumption of animal-sourced foods (ASFs).

Some of the conclusions of the AASR 2021 report will be critical to reflect on over the coming year and decade, and they include:

• Sub-Saharan Africa has experienced the most rapid rate of agricultural production growth over the past twenty years, more than any region in the world.
• Some 75% of sub-Saharan Africa’s rapid agricultural production growth was primarily driven by rapid expansion in cropped area, with 25% being driven by yield growth
• To achieve resilience and sustainable growth, sub-Saharan Africa has to shift more towards sustainable and diverse yield-driven growth, focused on raising farm productivity on existing farmland.