Business people in Isiolo and Marsabit counties have been asked to take up their role in addressing acute malnutrition during the current drought situation.
In a two day, stakeholders study forum that ended on Friday, non-governmental organisations implementing the USAID funded Nawiri program told the private sectors that they had an important role to play.
GAINS programme manager Jacqueline Sigu one of the consortium partners in the program said those in business have a critical part in tackling issues affecting food systems in both counties that contribute to malnutrition.
She said Small and Medium Enterprises need to bring sustainable solutions in food supply chains and food environments.
This will influence consumer behaviours related to dietary choices.
“Food systems in Isiolo and Marsabit experience limited value addition thus low product shelf-life, inadequate market access and information, huge post-harvest losses and inadequate access to credit facilities,” Sigu said.
“I believe SMEs answer to all these.”
Gabriel Mbokothe of the Catholic Relief Services said the private sector is uniquely positioned to solve inefficient nutritious foods value chains.
This he said is both a market failure and a key driver of malnutrition.
“By improving value chains, the private sector can address the issue of dietary quality, including micronutrient deficiencies,” Mbokothe said.
“Enterprises provide goods, services, markets and jobs to communities which are key drivers of access to nutritious foods.”
He also said SMEs are key to enhancing the capacity of vulnerable populations to access nutritious foods by making them more available, accessible, affordable and desirable.
However, the private sector in both counties still operate in a challenging environment characterised by immense bottlenecks to financing tied to collateral, high operational costs, lack of public-private cooperation, poor roads, telecommunications infrastructure and multiple taxing.
Despite numerous interventions, Global Acute Malnutrition rates are still high in Isiolo and Marsabit with the latest statistics showing 16 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.
Nawiri seeks to sustainably reduce acute malnutrition among vulnerable populations in both counties.
To realise this, GAIN is implementing interventions under the adopted marketplace for nutritious food approach to ensure improved accessibility, affordability and accessibility of nutritious food products.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
