FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO FOOD INSECURITY IN KERICHO COUNTY, KENYA
Food scarcity is not just a major problem in Africa but also in many Asian Nations, the increasing numbers of population equals to the limited production of Agricultural crops and livestock also worsen the situation. Therefore scarcity in food security is almost unpreventable, that is why hunger and famine among nations will continue to grow in numbers and this is the reality we have to face.
In Kericho County Kenya, a rural area where mostly their livelihood refers to farming, fishing, and livestock production which relies heavily on rainfall which has been irregular during last few years. Maize is their main staple food but they have grown crop largely like rice, wheat, beans, potato and other food crops on their farms. Economic review of the last few years show that about 50 percent of Kenyan land are suffering from lack of access to adequate food. This has been the primary reason of malnutrition and poverty in some areas in kericho, county and the entire Kenyan nation.
The periodic drought has been the primary reason of low crop declined subliminal margin deficit in production, they have gathered insufficient and unclean water to use in their farm and feeds for livestock. Up to the present they still lack water reserve in time that the rainy season may come which complicated a more serious problem upon gathering of water rain because of uncertainty in its coming. Relying heavily on water rain is not a solution to such problems. They probably needed support for the next few years for it is indicated that during these time there will be drought and unpredictable coming of rain due to the so called climate change which has become the problem all over the world.
The problem and the cost of feeds and fertilizer are rapidly grown almost double its price in international market this problem heavily contribute to a low production of both sources of food and livelihood which caters to a large percentage of food security in kericho county in Kenya. Sometimes they may need to buy exported materials to use in their field. They also lack the tools, machineries and equipment to maximize their farming performance in large areas but they do the planting by hands which takes a longer time rather than the use of animals and machineries which cannot survive due to sudden drought. Even if they harvested a large crop it goes directly on the market place since they lack the storage capability to secure the crops, there are no places to stock such crops.
Same problem goes through livestock and fish production, for they have experience food shortage for their animals that results in limited production of chicken, cattle and cows, meat and dairy products. The spread of various diseases have killed and infected animals’ additional sickness that makes unworthy use for sale and consumption.
Government has initiated the imported food support to alleviate the shortage of production of rice and maize that are good quality but higher priced commodity and discourages farmers to produce more crops. That is why for long years Kenya is basically dependent in food imports rather than self sustaining production of crops and livestock. This importation resulted in reduced production and price instability and strong competition among local produced goods. Some International agencies including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Food Program (WFP) etc. have provided food supplies export on credit with an initial down payment and payable from five to ten years just to assist the scarcity of food in Kenya.
The government of Kenya has done so much, for so many years they have distributed water tanks, pans and dams in strategic areas to cure the shortage of sanitized water and rain. The current situations also lead them to distribute livestock vaccination and cold storage system from nearby fish ponds and other fish facilities. They are already funding the purchase of maize from other country so that they are ready to plant more of them after the harvest season. They have also distributed the seed of different crops this will be distributed not just in Kenya but also in nearby countries but all this effort are still not enough to supply the ever growing demand for food within the communities.
Their government proposed to buy or subsidize the fertilizer and machineries to supply them to the farmers so that they can grow crops faster. All this strategic planning will definitely increase the solution for the food insecurity that they have experienced in the last few years. They are also going to link traders from Kericho county near the market place through business partners in nearby villages to give access and transfer of ideas in natural farming and crops production.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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