Saturday, 31st August 2024
Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Subsector is working towards designing a tool aimed at building a resilient food systems that can withstand shocks and stresses, thus enhancing sustainability of food security in Nairobi County.
The Subsector, in collaboration with Mazingira Institute through the Resilient Cities Research Initiative by Resource Centres on Urban Agriculture & Food Security (RUAF) and the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR) conducted a workshop to discuss the findings of desk research on the draft tool of governance related criteria that are expected to contribute to food systems resilience and help reduce effects associated with shocks and risks on the county’s food systems. The deliberations entailed finding out gaps identified during the research of the tool in order to come up with a comprehensive tool for research in future.
The objective of the research tool as presented by Dr. Samuel Omondi from Mazingira Institute, was to draw upon existing framework in a synergetic way to create and test a tool that will allow local governments’ actors and others to cross check how far they support urban and Peri- Urban food systems resilience.
Ms. Gladwell Cheruiyot, the County Chief Officer for Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources while appreciating the research document, maintained that there was need for different sectors and stakeholders in the agricultural space working together towards achieving resilience in the county’s food system.
Ms. Cheruiyot also said that the Food and Agriculture Subsector plans to sensitize both internal and external stakeholders about agricultural practice in the City in order to give urban agriculture in the County the attention it deserves.
According to the County Director Food Systems and Sector Programmes Ms. Rose Randall, Nairobi County Food systems strategy, which is in the implementation process, has put in place a Mechanism to ensure resilient food system through improved local production and improving the efficiency of the food supply chain for effective food importation.
Mr. Sam Ikua from Mazingira Institute, noted that there was a pressing need to strengthen resilience of urban and Peri- urban food systems to enable actors to anticipate and prevent the worst impacts in an effort to transforming the food systems, by designing plans that can help reduce and respond to the effects associated with shocks and risks.
Currently, Nairobi City County leads in urban food systems policy development.
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