Agriculture CS Linturi said state will roll out massive strategic interventions.
by The Star
Audio By Vocalize
A farmer harvests avocados.
The government has committed to roll out massive strategic interventions in agriculture to make Kenya food stable by 2030.
The country last week joined the rest of the world in committing to address food and nutrition insecurity to end hunger by 2030.
The Kenyan government together with other 60 nations have pledged to take immediate action to achieve Sustainable Development Goals in to address food insecurity.
Agriculture and Livestock Development CS Mithika Linturi has revealed that the Kenya Kwanza government will invest heavily in sustainable and resilient food systems.
This, the CS said, will be done by enabling the agricultural and food sectors to produce sustainably to close the inequality gap and recover quickly from crises.
“We will give particular attention to smallholders, women, youth and people in vulnerable and marginalised groups in order to achieve food security,” he said.
Linturi said his ministry will engage with fellow agriculture ministers across the globe to ensure that food is available, accessible, affordable, safe and nutritious for all.
“We recognise that agriculture is economically and socially viable and provides a decent income and decent working conditions for farmers and rural communities,” he said.
Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi during a press conference on food importation on December 23.
The CS spoke after attending the 2023 Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin, Germany. It involves 64 nations ensure food systems transformation and worldwide response to multiple crises.
Linturi said Kenya will focus on the transformation of agrifood systems to responding to the multiple crises facing global food security to eliminate hunger.
The CS promised his ministry will strive to ensure the youth in rural areas are motivated to practice agriculture as a way of boosting food production in rural areas.
“In line with the 2023 global agriculture ministers conference, my ministry will initiate strategies to attract the youth to join farming across the country,” Linturi said.
He also assured farmers that his ministry will increase farmers’ knowledge and adoption of an integrated soil fertility management and foster soil health to boost food production.
“The government is already distributing subsidised fertiliser to farmers and we expect this to boost our yields when our farmers harvest their crops,” he added.
The CS said the government is committed to reduce overuse of fertilisers and increase their efficiency.
He said the government will create sustainable and resilient food systems, foster climate-friendly food systems and promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
Linturi held talks with Germany State Secretary for the Ministry of Economic and Development Cooperation Baerbel Kofler and Head of German Agency for International Cooperation Cristel Weller-Molongua.
He also met the Parliamentary Committee on Food and Agriculture chairperson in Germany Hermann Farber and the President of German-Africa Foundation Uschi Eid, among others.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
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