Bleak outlook on food security

The greatest threat as the country enters the last quarter of the year is the worsening food situation that puts the life of thousands of people in danger. Fresh reports from multiple sources give grim forecasts about food security.

In the latest estimates, the World Food Programme calls for a Sh17.6 billion war-chest to fight hunger as more people enter the bracket of the food deficient.

This has forced the Government to eat into the strategic food reserve as it dishes out food rations to the starving thousands.

With more than 10 million on the verge of starvation, the challenge is to mobilise funds and other resources with which to buy and distribute food. International donors and bilateral aid providers need to come to Kenya’s aid to avoid a human catastrophe.

What is most depressing is that after the poor rains in the first half of the year, the last quarter looks even more ominous. Little rain is expected in coming months, meaning that farmers have nothing to look forward to.

The food crisis that has persisted for several months has been coupled with water and electricity shortfalls, all of which are largely attributed to climate change, itself a consequence of environmental degradation.

Besides, due to the global recession, financial inflows into the country have more or less dried up.

To its credit, the Government has launched several initiatives in the past few weeks aimed at ameliorating and mitigating the impact of the famine.

Only last week, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga launched an irrigation scheme at the Coast, with a promise that similar initiatives will be rolled out in other areas.

But the main challenge is how Kenya can feed itself in a more sustainable manner. A paradigm shift in agricultural production is an imperative, but so is better infrastructure to guarantee distribution.

The question we must ask is: for how long shall we continue relying on relief agencies to feed its citizens? Without food security, the gains realised in many sectors of the economy will amount to nothing.