Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

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    • Dear Moderator,

      My name is Veronica Kirogo from Kenya and I am working at the State Ministry of Agrciulture, Livestock and Fisheries.

      In the past couple of decades there has been a lot of emphasis on nutrition-specific interventions in addressing malnutrition, yet only limited impact has been realized as evidenced by the prevalence of stunting in Kenya which stands at 26 percent. Similarly, the focus on increasing productivity, commercialization and competitiveness of agricultural commodities has not resulted in improvement of food and nutrition security in Kenya particularly at household level. However, there are some interventions either by the government or partners that may have resulted in improved nutrition and food security, but with limited opportunities for sharing of experiences, lessons learnt or best practices, replication of these success stories is difficult.

      My expectation for the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition is the need to focus on documentation and dissemination of successful food and nutrition security interventions for replication. There is also need for a standardized tool for advocating for increased budgetary allocation on the food and nutrition security sector. Seventy five percent of the Kenyan population is youth; therefore food and nutrition security programmes that specifically target this category should be formulated as they have the potential for feeding the future. The use of mobile telephone technology in dissemination of food and nutrition messages would ensure wide coverage since the majority of Kenyans have mobile phones.

      Developing countries should be encouraged to establish or strengthen a food and nutrition security council in order to harmonize coordination, funds mobilization and implementation of programmes, prioritize activities and pool resources. The activities would be funded jointly by the government, partners and private sector. There is a need to focus more on nutrition-sensitive technologies since they are sustainable and more often homegrown solutions.

    • Dear Moderator,

      Thank you for the informative online discussion.
       
      Find below my contribution to the current discussion.
       
      Regards
       
      Veronica Kirogo
      Coordinator, Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture Project (UPAP)
      Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries
      Nairobi, Kenya
       
      Challenges faced by rural youth aged 15-17 in making a living in agriculture and related activities
       
      Kenya is rapidly urbanizing at the rate of 4.4 percent annually and it is estimated that 54 percent of the population will be residing in urban areas by 2030. This is attributed to increasing urban-rural migration as more people from rural areas relocate to urban centres in search of better livelihoods. In most cases, people who migrate are aggressive and enterprising in nature and would be good role models for the youth age 15-17years who are still undertaking their basic education. Therefore one of the key challenges facing the youth is lack of role models of persons who have made a living from rural agriculture. In addition, farming in Kenya is majorly subsistence and majority of the rural youth have grown up seeing their parents and community struggling to make a living and would therefore take up agriculture as a last resort. Infact, in the past cultivating or ploughing was a common punishment given as a disciplinary measure in schools. This has also translated to fewer youth taking up agriculture as a subject in secondary schools since it is not a mandatory subject. Limited access to mechanized agriculture makes it unattractive to the youth as they associate agriculture with toiling and limited or no returns. Lack of skills and productive resources such as land and finances are also key challenge among the youth.
       
      How can these challenges be addressed
       
      Including agriculture as a life skill option in basic education and delivered in most exciting ways. For example, according to Consumer Insight (2009) 47 percent of youth aged 15-17 in Kenya are computer literate; computer agricultural programmes including games could be developed and this would entice the youth in engaging in agriculture in real life.

      Promotion of youth-friendly agricultural technologies such as multistorey (vertical) vegetable gardens, vegetable and tree nurseries, and small livestock rearing. In 2014 and 2015, I coordinated capacity building youth in Nairobi slums on multistorey vegetable gardens and the response was very encouraging. The youth were very excited because the gardens provided them with fresh vegetables, income from sale of the surplus produce and consultation fee gained from constructing the gardens requested by members of their community!

      Another opportunity would be in mobile-marketing of agricultural produce and products. This could be offered as a unit in Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education Training (ATVET).

      Identifying role models in agriculture and related activities to be giving motivational talks to the youth on their role in sustainable agriculture

      Support for agricultural clubs in secondary schools including exchange tours and competitions

      The youth could also be allocated idle but productive public land on temporary basis to refine their skills in commercial agriculture.