Murang’a, 12th April 2024
Nairobi City County and the County of Murang’a have initiated a process that will see the two work towards ensuring food safety and food security for the people of Nairobi.
Yesterday, the two counties held a consultative meeting/ dialogue in Murang’a County to chart way forward as they embark on food supply, safety and traceability journey.
Green Nairobi Executive Committee Member Mr. Ibrahim Auma led a delegation comprising of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Directors and Deputy Directors, Water and Sanitation Director, Director of Markets, Trade and Industry Director and Director Health, Wellness and Nutrition on a knowledge exchange visit to Murang’a County. The Directors are key players in the implementation of Nairobi’s Food Systems Strategy 2022-2027 whose goal is to ensure an affordable, accessible, nutritious, and safe food for all Nairobi City County residents, essentially by increasing food production, stabling food supply and incomes, reducing food losses and providing good welfare of food consumers.
The two counties discussed on areas they need to work together in making sure the food reaching Nairobi is of good quality, safe and secure from farm chemicals, fresh and nutritious. They also engaged on ways to create linkages amongst producers, processors and consumers.
Mr. Auma acknowledged that achieving Nairobi County Food Systems Strategy goal requires collaboration with other counties, noting that Nairobi serves as an end market for many regions with at least 30 out of 47 counties supplying food to the City County.
“Our visit to Murang’a County underscores the significance of our partnership given its pivotal role as one of our major food and water suppliers. We are committed to working hand in hand with Murang’a County and other stakeholders to realize our shared vision of resilient and sustainable food system.” Mr. Auma Said.
“When we speak of food systems we refer to the path that food traverses right from production to distribution, processing and consumption as well as food waste management at every component. This calls for a multi-stakeholder approach involving working with other sectors such as trade, markets, water, Environment, nutrition and wellness among others” He added.
Further, the Green Nairobi Executive mentioned that Nairobi Governor H.E Sakaja Johnson is very keen in his commitment to enhancing the livelihoods of Nairobi residents by championing a resilient food systems through conducive policy environment, effective support services and meaningful partnerships.
So far, Nairobi City County has taken proactive steps such as mapping out food markets in order to provide necessary information to producers, processors and consumers by developing a geoportal accessible via county website to provide market information and foster stakeholder engagement in its bid to implementing the Food Systems Strategy.
His Counterpart from Murang’a County, Mr. Kiringai wa Kamau, the County Executive Member Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Development said the journey to ensuring food safety is critical hence the need to work together to make sure the food reaches consumers while fresh and safe. He added that ensuring the safety of food will lead to controlling non communicable diseases through proper nutrition which is a big challenge.
Mr. Kiringai mentioned that Murang’a County has developed an Agro ecology policy 2022-2032 that seeks to employ diverse strategies in ensuring food security interventions are sustainable while conserving environment and reducing the effect of pollution and disease in humans.
In addition, the Murang’a Agriculture boss said that they have developed food farmacies in a bid to increase its resident’s access to health nutritious food.
Nairobi delegation was taken on field visit tours to Murang’a Milk processing plant in Maragua, Murang’a Coffee Millers and Mukarara Farm in Kangema.
The Green Nairobi Executive said that Nairobi appreciates the lessons learnt from the exchange visit and will replicate all good practices learned in its Urban and Peri Urban Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Policy that is set for review.
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