The state of food security inside Uhuru's Big Four Agenda

In 2017, President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the Big Four Agenda that was aimed at steering the country's economy under the Jubilee administration.

The four agendas included affordable housing, manufacturing, food security and universal healthcare.

The President had said that food security in the country would bring to an end the perennial food scarcity in the country that for a long time has been affecting Kenyans.

Galana Kulalu project (Sh7 billion) which is on Tana River and Kilifi counties was picked by the government and put under irrigation to boost food availability in the country.

In August 2019, ODM leader Raila Odinga visited the Galana Kulalu mega irrigation scheme to access the 10,000 acres irrigation project.

Raila was pleased by the ongoing work and dismissed speculations that were going on that the project had stalled.

Raila concluded that “we have come here to witness for ourselves. We were hearing reports that funds for the project have been embezzled but we have witnessed something good”.

He had initially said before shaking hands with the President that the project was a white elephant.

According to the projection from the office of the President, 40 million bags of maize (90 kg) were to be harvested in the country by the end of 2017 as well as 112800 metric tonnes of rice.

The government had also said the country would produce 1.3 million metric tonnes of potatoes and projected the harvest 67 million bags of maize (90Kg) by 2022.

In 2018, the president said the country will use science and technology to achieve inclusive agricultural growth, nutrition and food security in the country.

The new approach was to enhance agricultural productivity by targeting small scale farmers with new technologies.

The approach was also to help farmers to move away from the old policy of using subsidies as the only method to boost production.

To ease farming, the government rolled out issuance of title deeds to residents who have been leaving without documents to indicate that they own their lands.

The government understood that land plays a key role in farming.

The president said in one function as he issued the title deeds that people will now start making good use of their lands by taking part in farming.

While opening Nairobi International Trade Fair in October 2019, the president said the government will rely on innovation and technology in ensuring food security in the country.

The president called upon the youth in the country to take part in agriculture adding that the average age of a farmer in the country was 59 compared to the average age of the consumer which stood at 17.

“In order to foster the participation of the youth in agriculture, my government has prioritized the creation and adoption of programmes that ease access to land, finance, mechanisation and knowledge among our youth,” Uhuru said.

Deputy President William Ruto launched various projects in 2019 which were meant to boost food production.

The Government through the National Irrigation Authority was implementing the Lower Nzoia project, targeting 10,000 acres.

The 70 per cent of the project was funded by the World Bank as government financed the other 30 per cent.

The Lower Nzoia Irrigation project was meant to benefit 12,000 households upon completion.

The government said 5,000 acres were to be put under high-value crops and 5,000 acres under rice and other food crops.

During the launch, Ruto said it will reduce the cost of production and increase rice production in the scheme.

Ruto added that the project was a result of his promise to finding a long-lasting solution to notorious floods in the region as well as address food security in-line with the Big 4 Agenda.

While launching the Initiative for Food and Nutrition in Africa last year, Ruto said the country had developed necessary policies to support a proper framework to increase food production.

He said that irrigation, as well as mechanisation, was the key aspect in improving food production.

“To improve the nutrition status of the people, we must enhance productivity to ensure affordable food,” Ruto said.

He added that chronic food and nutrition security remains a great national human and economic development challenge for many African countries.

Last year during the Mombasa International Show, Uhuru said the government had initiated various measures to revive the fishing and shipping industries.

“To promote the development and efficiency in coastal fish related businesses and achieve various activities we have now established the Fisher Associations and the Kenya Fish Marketing Authority,” Uhuru said.

Despite efforts from the government to ensure the country has enough food, little has been achieved due to the overwhelming challenges, ranging from climate change, pest invasion and graft in the agriculture sector.

In February 2019, 13 counties in the country experienced a severe drought that killed many people, livestock and damaged their crops.

In 2019, the National Drought Management Authority released its report on food nutrition and security in the country.

The report indicated that 2.6 million people were affected by drought, which was an increase from the estimated 1.6 million.

The mixed results were also recorded from late 2019 after the country experienced unexpected heavy rains.

In January, the President fired CS for Agriculture Mwangi Kiunjuri following numerous challenges in the ministry, which was supposed to play a big role in ensuring the ministry has enough food.

In 2019, Kiunjuri dismissed the claims that he had created an artificial maize shortage.

He said the country did not have enough maize and as a result, the price of flour would increase

Maize farmers in the country have been complaining of low prices released by the government to buy their products as compared to the imported maize.

The president directed the NCPB in January 2019 to buy maize from farmers at a price of Sh2,500 per bag from the previous Sh2,300.

The move was part of the effort to motivate and promote the local farmers.

The desert locust invasion in some parts of the country is the latest challenge to food security.

The huge locust swarm which had not been witnessed for about 70 years in Kenya crossed Somalia and Ethiopia border late last year.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), locusts provoke humanitarian crisis and appealed for urgent funding to tackle the outbreak in order to protect livelihoods and food security.

Since the invasion, the government has been trying to control the pests using different mechanisms including aerial spray.

The locusts have so far spread to eight counties which are Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Isiolo, Garissa, Samburu, Meru and Laikipia.

Agriculture CS Peter Munya blamed poor preparedness caused by poor communication between the Kenyan and Somali governments for the missed opportunity to control the pests.

The CS said the damage caused by the locusts in terms of food will be assessed once the spraying process is complete and that those who have been affected by the locust menace will be compensated.