The government has called on health and nutrition stakeholders to invest in agrinutrition to end famine, hunger and malnutrition.
Speaking during the opening of a two-day meeting yesterday, Health CS Cleopa Mailu (pictured) said the government is working to ensure the availability of the basic materials needed to grow food and improve agriculture production.
The meeting will discuss investment opportunities in agrinutritional programming and develop a roadmap towards nutrition-sensitive agricultural practices.
Malnutrition contributes to more than 50 per cent of the cases of child mortality according to the World Health Organisation global report for 2010.
In Kenya, malnutrition remains a big public health problem in both rural and urban settings.
The Kenya Demographic Health Survey 2014 shows 26 per cent of children under five years have stunted growth, 11 per cent are underweight and 4 per cent are wasted.
Maternal infant and young child nutrition have been sub-optimal, with iron deficiency anaemia still prevalent among pregnant women.
Only 22% of children between six and 23 months old consume the minimum acceptable diet. The Constitution of Kenya, under the Bill of Rights, recognises the importance of nutrition in Article 43 1 (c). It talks of the right to be free from hunger and to access adequate food of acceptable quality, including good nutrition for children. The Food and Nutrition Security Policy 2012 aims to improve nutritional outcomes through sustainable agriculture.