Naivasha, 21st November 2023
Nairobi City County Executive Committee Members and Chief Officers have been sensitized on Urban Food Systems pilot program that will be implemented in Nairobi through National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project( NAVCDP), in order to make them better understand the role of Nairobi County leadership in the implementation of the pilot program.
National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) is a five(5) year Government of Kenya and World Bank funded project with an objective to increase market participation and value chain addition for targeted farmers in select value chains in the project areas, in Nairobi City County.
“As the leadership of Nairobi which is the host County for the safe urban food systems pilot, we need a better understanding of the pilot program and NAVCDP project so that we can execute the project well and deliver as required.” Said Green Nairobi Executive Mr. Ibrahim Auma.
Mr. Auma expressed confidence that his competent and capable staff who are highly knowledgeable about food and Agriculture will ensure success of the project.
He also noted that the project has come at the right time, when Nairobi Governor H.E Sakaja Johnson is in the process of delivering markets as promised in his manifesto, and also when the County is in the process of implementing its food systems strategy.
Nairobi County Coordinator of the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project Mr. Joseph Kinyanjui stated that Climate Smart Safer Urban Food Systems pilot is one of the NAVCDP project components that intends to support the rollout of Urban food system pilots in Nairobi which is the major urban cluster in the country and parts of Kiambu, Kajiado and Machakos Counties bordering the city as peri-urban areas.
“It is also worth noting that Nairobi City County is one of the few cities with a comprehensive urban food systems strategy, with an implementing directorate in place.” Added Mr. Kinyajui.
The pilot project will support urban and peri urban Agriculture, institutional and policy framework for safer urban food systems and Urban market infrastructure by establishing physical farmer markets in Nairobi County and supporting linkages between rural and peri- urban producers and urban consumers.
Building producer capacity for climate resilient stronger value chains, climate smart value chain ecosystem investment, project coordination and management and contingency emergency response are other components of NAVCDP project being piloted in other 33 Counties.
Dr. Michael Njuguna from the World Bank took the team through the role of the World Bank in the implementation of the urban food systems component. He said that once Nairobi County succeeds with the pilot project, other counties will be able to benchmark from her.
“I’m genuinely impressed from the quality work and competent staff in agriculture department and I’m convinced they will deliver.” Said Dr. Njoroge.
The sensitization covered other key areas among them policy and regulatory frameworks for urban food systems pilot, linkages between Nairobi City County urban food systems strategy and market infrastructure, Role of Council of Governors in NAVCDP, Urban Market infrastructure, implementation structures for safer urban systems pilot, the role community institutions in safer urban food systems project, data and digital investments and market linkages in urban agriculture and monitoring and evaluation frameworks for NAVCDP and safer urban system pilot.
During the sessions, participants agreed that there is need to strengthen and establish proper system of traceability of food produce coming in Nairobi in order to ensure safe food for the people of Nairobi.
The sensitization meeting was also attended by the County Directors from Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Subsector, Business and Hustler Opportunities Sector, Donor and Stakeholder Engagement department, Policy and Research department, Planning and Economic Affairs and Built in Environment departments.
Present also were National Panel of Experts on Extension Services for NAVCDP project, Nairobi County NAVCDP Coordinators, representatives from Council of Governors and NAVCDP National project Coordination unit who also made presentations.
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