Food insecurity remains an enduring and pressing challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Kenya is no exception. The situation during the first half of 2023 was particularly distressing, with evidence indicating a deepening food security crisis in Kenya. At the core of this troubling situation lies a dysfunctional food system that has long plagued the country’s agricultural landscape. Food systems are intricate networks encompassing various stages from production to consumption, significantly impacting human health, the economy, plant and animal health, ecosystems, and climate.
It is due to this great concern that the PASGR (Partnership for Africa Social and Governance Research) in collaboration with the IDRC (International Development and Research Centre) convened Utafiti Sera Food System Transformation workshop on 25th August 2023 at the Sarova Panafric Hotel, Nairobi. The aim was;
- To offer stakeholders a thorough overview of the foundational principles driving the Utafiti Sera House’s approach, which revolves around the pursuit for equitable, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems.
- To mobilize support from key stakeholders for the establishment of a comprehensive national food systems policy, equipped with a robust regulatory framework to ensure effective implementation.
- To facilitate long-term collaborative capacity exchange and enhancement, enabling the dissemination of evidence-informed and innovative solutions across the entire food systems.
The workshop lead to launch of Food Systems Transformation (FST), a project that will help develop national food systems policy to address food insecurity. The two-year project seeks to contribute to the strengthening of equitable, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems in the community. Participants were; NPCK, representatives of government agencies and departments, research institutes, NGOs, civil society organizations, farmers’ unions, development partners and the private sector.
A section of the participants during the workshop
