**2.3 Prospects**

The operationalization of the Food and Nutrition Security Policy of 2011, the placement of access to quality and adequate food access for citizens in the new Kenya Constitution of 2010 [7] as a human right, and support programmes arising thereof, are providing a firm foundation for the country to effectively address the issues of food and nutrition insecurity in a planned and focused manner. This is backed by an increasing number of interventions from the National and the County Governments and International non-Governmental Organizations, with the most notable being the World Food Programe (WFP) and UNICEF, with the focus for the latter being women and children. The Food and Nutrition Policy of 2011 is themed on 3 areas:


The policy broadly recommends providing specific crops for specific agroclimatic zones of the country. With the focus being on the child, one intervention and recommendation from the policy is providing food subsidy and food aid to vulnerable groups and children, in the latter case by strengthening and making school feeding programmes work. The WFP has for many years sustained the school feeding programmes in the semi-arid and arid parts of the country, despite the programme facing logistical as well as policy difficulties. There are other policy instruments that are currently either being finalized or implemented. Major areas of focus that can boost agricultural production and eventually reduce food and nutrition insecurity in Kenya include but are not limited to:

• Enhancing access to agricultural financing: While Kenya represents a vibrant and enabling market for agricultural produce, the enthusiasm by the banking sector to service commercial agriculture is lacking, as only about 4% of commercial bank lending is for agribusiness, despite most Kenyans being employed in agriculture or agriculture-related businesses.

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**address some of the above concerns follow.**

*Food and Nutrition Security in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania): Status, Challenges…*

• Increasing the use of fertilizer: Fertilizer use remains inadequate in Kenya as the Government's fertilizer subsidy programme is inefficient, and often disproportionately benefits more medium/large scale famers than small-scale farmers. Small-scale farmers are the backbone of the country's agriculture sector. Making the scheme work for small-scale farmers and ensuring that it is efficient, transparent, and targets them, has the potential of raising agricul-

• Establishing private sector-led commodity trading: Similar to the situation in most Africa countries, the Kenya government retains a big role in marketing agricultural outputs, especially maize, the staple cereal crop for a majority of the country's population, thereby leaving little room for private sector participation. Further, the National Cereals and Produce Board buys maize at a premium above the price determined by market forces. These interventions edge out private sector players somewhat, resulting in reduced availability of public finance for other potentially more useful expenditures, e.g., extension

• Investing in irrigation: While over 80% of Kenya's land area is arid and semiarid, 2% of the arable land is under irrigation compared to an average of 6% in Sub-Saharan Africa and 37% in Asia [28]. The low usage of irrigation means Kenya's agriculture is fully rain-dependent and susceptible to shocks due to droughts. Investing in irrigation and water management for farmers, can reduce productivity shocks and raise the sector's total productivity, potentially

• Supporting stronger farmer organizations: Kenya has many geographically dispersed smallholders who are not integrated into key agriculture value chains. Dispersion increases production costs and reduces small-scale farmers' competitiveness. It is envisaged that building stronger farmer-organizations fosters economic inclusion of smallholders and increase their market power, thereby raising their incomes and productivity. Further, while value addition to agricultural commodities remains low in the country, increasing the value addition of agricultural commodities can create more jobs and reduce poverty. A set of recommendations that mirrors the above discussion is provided below.

In conclusion, a decade of rapid economic growth from 2003 to 2013, the inclusion of food and nutrition security in the government's 'big four' priorities in 2018, constitutional changes that devolved administrative responsibilities to county governments since 2013, and the country's openness to innovation, offer **opportunities for the achievement of SDG 2** on Zero Hunger and improved nutrition in Kenya. However, even though the country has recently acquired lower-middleincome status, the **increased wealth has not benefited all Kenyans equally.** Over **one third of the population still lives under the international poverty line** (of \$1.25/day) and **socio-economic disparities between regions and ethnic groups remain. Access to adequate quantities of nutritious food remains a challenge for many**, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions, which make up over 80% of the country's land area. Rapid population growth, at 2.9% annually, climate change, stagnating agricultural production and inefficient food value chains are additional challenges. Food insecure families typically live in rural areas, are poor and depend on daily agricultural labour for income. **Families headed by women are more likely to be food insecure than those headed by men. Some recommendations to** 

improving food and nutrition security in the country.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95036*

tural output and productivity.

services and farmer training.

*Food and Nutrition Security in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania): Status, Challenges… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95036*


In conclusion, a decade of rapid economic growth from 2003 to 2013, the inclusion of food and nutrition security in the government's 'big four' priorities in 2018, constitutional changes that devolved administrative responsibilities to county governments since 2013, and the country's openness to innovation, offer **opportunities for the achievement of SDG 2** on Zero Hunger and improved nutrition in Kenya. However, even though the country has recently acquired lower-middleincome status, the **increased wealth has not benefited all Kenyans equally.** Over **one third of the population still lives under the international poverty line** (of \$1.25/day) and **socio-economic disparities between regions and ethnic groups remain. Access to adequate quantities of nutritious food remains a challenge for many**, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions, which make up over 80% of the country's land area. Rapid population growth, at 2.9% annually, climate change, stagnating agricultural production and inefficient food value chains are additional challenges. Food insecure families typically live in rural areas, are poor and depend on daily agricultural labour for income. **Families headed by women are more likely to be food insecure than those headed by men. Some recommendations to address some of the above concerns follow.**

*Food Security in Africa*

project [25, 26].

counterparts.

**2.3 Prospects**

on 3 areas:

time to consumers

to achieve long-term development

unconditional cash transfer programme, boosted beneficiaries' food consumption relative to controls and increased dietary diversity for poorer households in the

Nutrition education can also help improve diet quality for children and adults in Kenya. A pilot study in western Kenya showed that providing nutrition education to fathers and grandmothers on proper complementary feeding practices for children raised social support for mothers, and, resulted in the adoption of beneficial child feeding practices [27]. Despite the need to continue addressing malnutrition in the country, micronutrient deficiencies of Vitamin A, Folic acid, Iron, Zinc and Iodine are widespread, with the re-emerging rise in rickets. However, the iodization of salt and fortification of many processed foods, especially the staples with most of the above micronutrients will alleviate the problem. Emerging issues include child obesity, where female children appear more obese and overweight than their male

The operationalization of the Food and Nutrition Security Policy of 2011, the placement of access to quality and adequate food access for citizens in the new Kenya Constitution of 2010 [7] as a human right, and support programmes arising thereof, are providing a firm foundation for the country to effectively address the issues of food and nutrition insecurity in a planned and focused manner. This is backed by an increasing number of interventions from the National and the County Governments and International non-Governmental Organizations, with the most notable being the World Food Programe (WFP) and UNICEF, with the focus for the latter being women and children. The Food and Nutrition Policy of 2011 is themed

b.Ensuring access and the availability of good quality and affordable food, all the

c.Using cost-effective safety nets to protect the vulnerable populations in order

The policy broadly recommends providing specific crops for specific agroclimatic zones of the country. With the focus being on the child, one intervention and recommendation from the policy is providing food subsidy and food aid to vulnerable groups and children, in the latter case by strengthening and making school feeding programmes work. The WFP has for many years sustained the school feeding programmes in the semi-arid and arid parts of the country, despite the programme facing logistical as well as policy difficulties. There are other policy instruments that are currently either being finalized or implemented. Major areas of focus that can boost agricultural production and eventually reduce food and nutrition insecurity in Kenya include but are not

• Enhancing access to agricultural financing: While Kenya represents a vibrant and enabling market for agricultural produce, the enthusiasm by the banking sector to service commercial agriculture is lacking, as only about 4% of commercial bank lending is for agribusiness, despite most Kenyans being employed

in agriculture or agriculture-related businesses.

a.Optimizing the health of Kenyans through good nutrition

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limited to:
