|
The Association of Food and Agriculture Journalists (AFAJ) is only three years old and has 35 members. But in 1996, the Kenyan group launched a campaign to publicize the dangers of water hyacinth in Lake Victoria that caught the eye of the judges on the A. H. Boerma Award panel. On 7 November, AFAJ was named co-winner of the Boerma Award, worth US$5 000 and a scroll. AFAJ Chairman Alfred Omondi accepted the prize and later spoke about the association's work.
"It is of interest to readers, but mainstream media has not really been adequate enough at local level. That's why we came in to address the gap. When a politician is sacked, it makes the headlines, but a new pesticide that controls plant pests makes the back page. We say, put aside political differences and address the issues." Where are your members from and what do your employers think of your association? "We're from Kenyan newspapers and magazines. I am a business writer at the Daily Nation. I cover the stock market. The members feel they have a common cause on famine and food issues. We were surprised by the attitude of employers. They encouraged us to carry on as they think it is worthwhile." What does your association do? "We exchange ideas and research, convene workshops. We do it our own time, so it requires a lot of sacrifice. In November 1996, we organized a workshop on the problem of water hyacinth in Lake Victoria, which had both local and international attendance. It's a major ecological disaster. The weed has actually covered the better part of the lake. You might attempt to land a plane on it if you saw it. The fish stocks have started dropping, the catch is down, transport on the lake has been affected. The local community has been badly hit. Our role is quite limited but our workshop brought the issues together. The lake is shared by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, so we'd like our association to grow into a regional one and even a continental one." Could you mention some other food and agriculture issues in Kenya? "Well, I'm from an agrarian region of western Kenya where sugar, maize and peanuts are grown. My family grows sugar cane mainly. But sugar imports are hitting the local farmers badly. They produce sugar and aren't paid for it." Anything else you would like to add? "Winning the Boerma Award was a big surprise. It is not every day we have initiatives from Africa recognized internationally. It is an honour for Kenya and Africa." |
Mr Omondi, how is the food
security issue addressed in Kenyan media?
