From Food Relief to Food Security
The year started on a rather somber note when the President declared the current famine a national disaster. Images of people feeding on wild berries and widespread decimation of livestock in many parts of the country continue to flood our television screens.
Drought is a recurrent phenomenon in Kenya yet the response year in, year out focuses on immediate provision of food, often at the expense of seeking permanent solutions to the problem.
Emergency food aid, while critical for immediate survival, should not supersede investment in small scale agriculture which in Kenya is the main source of livelihood for most households.
Organizations like Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) have recognized the importance of committing enough resources towards food security. KCDF at this time and has declared 2009 the Year of Food Security.
Since the organization launched the Food Security Fund in 2007, a number of small holder farmers have benefited through improved agricultural production. We need to look beyond the immediate food crisis into long term solutions to improve the livelihoods of millions of Kenyans facing starvation.
