AMBANI: Kitchen gardens not a remedy for ‘quick recovery’ from hunger, malnutrition

The Kenyan government and the US President Donald Trump have one thing in common, they both like to say things out loud that only make sense in one’s mind, and not when spoken out in public.

To some extent, some may say Trump can afford to behave the way he does. That instead of seeing a professional psychiatrist and yap about the challenges he goes through with his work – like what most of us do – he uses his Twitter handle and any opportunity given to him to give the world a view of how peculiarly his mind works.

The Kenyan government on the other hand has been treating its citizens no differently. Sometimes trying to make us angry for no reason.

One such instance is the kitchen garden idea, which in any other time different from the one we are in right now would be feasible.

This “bright” concept communicated by Agriculture CAS, Ann Nyaga is to help Kenyans maintain a healthy diet as the country fights to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The campaign will see one million households be facilitated to set up a kitchen vegetable garden at their balconies within their estates and compounds.

‘QUICK RECOVERY’

Healthy eating, she says, ensures patients recover quickly if infected.

Unfortunately, a significant number of Kenyans is not eating a healthy diet and it is not from their wanting. Kenyans are already suffering from different levels of malnutrition.

In fact, most survive on one meal a day and sometimes nothing. What’s more appalling is when the Ministry of Agriculture said that it is due to the pandemic, that they have been made aware of the state of homes and more specifically the kitchens in terms of food.

For a Ministry which is charged to make it its business to know what Kenyans are eating, this revelation is shocking.

For a majority of Kenyans, having a meal on the table is not promised, you eat, when you eat, and you eat what you get. Sleeping hungry for them, unfortunately, is normal.

If I were Ms Nyaga, I would probably have been dragged in ropes to make that speech, rather than show my face with such a poor thought out plan.

Realistically, a kitchen garden can only feed a family for only a day or two.

WHERE’S THE SPACE?

Where does the government expect people living in Mathare or Kibera to find space to put these vegetable gardens?

Those living in permanent structures most have no balconies and those that do are usually shared areas.

Or maybe this campaign is only meant to favour the upper class in maintaining their healthy diet.

This is a desperate attempt by the government to try and placate its already angry citizens.

Majority of Kenyans are already hungry and you are telling them that they will have to wait till some seedlings – given to them by the government – to germinate and grow to maturity for them to eat.

The money being used for this campaigned should be invested in our farmers to produce better yields that can feed the country.

The Ministry should just go back to the drawing board and come back with a better, realistic plan that can be implemented.

And before you come to share them with Kenyans, please say them out loud amongst yourselves in board meetings and see if they make sense.