FOOD SITUATION & AGRICULTURE IN KENYAAgriculture, still the

mainstay of the Kenyan Economy

AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY

Agriculture is Kenya’s economic backbone

It contributes 26% directly and 25% indirectly to the national GDP

Around 1 million hectares are under irrigation and the strategy under vision 2030 is to transform from subsistence farming to a profitable business

The four major subsectors: tea, coffee, sugarcane & cotton

FOOD TRADE AND SECURITY

1 billion people are hungry in the world 75% of the world’s poor live in rural

areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.

Today deaths related to hunger outnumber war deaths by 5 to1.

Recent increases in food prices may push another 100 million people below the poverty line.

WHO SUFFERS MOST FROM HUNGER?

Hunger is most pronounced in the rural areas of Africa and Asia

Especially in regions prone to drought: the Horn of Africa and Somalia

Changes in the global food markets affect global hunger and poverty

FACTORS CAUSING FOOD INSECURITY

Poverty, which reduces purchasing power

Land and Gender; insecure tenure is the reality of the majority of poor farmers

Women produce up to 80% of the food despite owning only 20% of the land. Discrimination limits access to credit, advisory support, local economic decision making

Conflict Environmental degradation Supply vs Demand

Local Factors:

OTHER FACTORS

World food prices World trade rules Bio fuels: 40% of Americas corn goes to make ethanol,

enough to feed $400 million hungry people Climate change: higher temperatures shorten growing

seasons. Temperatures in Africa are expected to rise faster than global ones.

Political neglect; governments intervention in food production and marketing was limited until recently. Only 8 govts have achieved the Maputo goal of 10%.

International Factors:

GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS

GM crops are exposed to foreign genes to stimulate growth and enhance quality.

Proponents of GM crops say: they store better, have better nutritional quality, tolerate herbicides, lack of water, extremes of temperature.

The risks to GM crops include: health risks to humans, danger to the environment.

SOLUTIONS

Responsive food policy and incentives for farming Research and policy advocacy on new approaches

to solving hunger and climate change challenges Educating rural farmers on food crops International advocacy and fundraising

Thank You:Scarsdale High school & Participating StudentsRashid Silvera

Amb. Dr. Josephine OjiamboDPR Kenya Missionjojiambo@kenyaun.org