Host Country

Kenya

Highlights

Improving Kenyans' access to food

Beneficiaries

Approximately 1 million households (6 million people) in the next 5 years.

Budget

US$70 million (planned)

Funds

Government of Kenya

Commencement Date

2005

Background

• Kenya is a fertile, soil-rich country and one of the world's leading exporters of tea, coffee and vegetables. Despite its high-production capacity, many of Kenya's 32 million people live on US$1 per day and suffer poverty and malnourishment. About one-third of the population is chronically undernourished. Limited or no access to independent food production resources and the effects of the HIV/Aids pandemic and other chronic diseases such as TB and malaria put additional pressure on people's ability to lead healthy, productive lives.
• In 2004, the Government of Kenya requested the FAO's assistance in developing an NPFS to help poor households improve their access to food.
• The Programme named "Njaa Marufuku Kenya" (ban hunger in Kenya) was formally endorsed by the Kenyan Government in late 2004.

Goals

• Contribute to the reduction of poverty, hunger and food insecurity among poor communities.
• Increase food security initiatives by supporting resource poor communities.
• Support health and nutrition interventions that target the poor and vulnerable.
• Strengthen and support private sector participation in food security and livelihood innovations

Activities

• Support to Community Driven Food Security Improvement Initiatives; These activities focus on empowering community groups through capacity building and provision of small grants for up-scaling agricultural activities that focus on hunger, poverty reduction and income generation.
• Support to Community Nutrition and School Meals Programme; as hunger reduces a child's ability to learn and grow, school meals programmes began in 2005 (using local food purchases that provide financial and market support for increasing productivity among farmers). As 30% of the nutritional value of food is lost when a child suffers from illness, de-worming programmes also began in schools. For adults, food-for-work programmes during low labour-demand period, have also been developed.
• Support to Private Sector Food Security Innovations; These activities focus on supporting registered community based organizations and private sector organizations to upscale hunger and poverty reduction innovations that have the potential to be replicated.