As the global community observes World Food Day, World Vision Kenya stands alongside children, households, communities, and the Government of Kenya in promoting the theme “Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future.”
The message emphasizes that food should not be viewed merely as a commodity but as a fundamental human right vital to dignity, health, and opportunity.
Despite ongoing initiatives, Kenya grapples with considerable challenges related to food security and nutrition. According to the 2024 Global Hunger Index, Kenya ranks 100th out of 127 countries, with a score of 25.0, indicating a “serious” level of hunger.
This concerning statistic highlights the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address food insecurity and ensure that no one is left behind.
Recent findings from the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) report, released in September, reveal that 1.7 million Kenyans are currently facing acute food insecurity. Alarmingly, 760,500 children urgently require nutritional support due to severe malnutrition.
The 2022 Kenya Demographic Health Survey indicates that among children aged 6-59 months, 18% are stunted, 5% are wasted, and 10% are underweight.
Gilbert Kamanga, National Director of World Vision Kenya, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “These statistics are not just numbers; they represent real children and families struggling to access their basic right to food. We must act now to reverse this trend and secure a better future for Kenya’s children.”
In response to these challenges, World Vision Kenya has ramped up its efforts to combat hunger and malnutrition. In the fiscal year 2023, the organization implemented 107 programs focused on various sectors, including Livelihoods and Resilience, Health and Nutrition, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), Education, Protection, Public Policy and Advocacy, and Humanitarian Response.
The organization invested over 13.05 billion Kenyan shillings in food and nutrition security projects, with more than half of this funding directed towards initiatives aimed at alleviating hunger and malnutrition.
World Vision Kenya’s interventions reached 3,429,853 individuals, comprising 1,495,512 adults (556,109 men and 939,406 women) and 1,934,341 children (948,724 boys and 985,617 girls).
Under its current strategy launched in 2021, the organization aims to enhance the well-being of 8,827,654 children in Kenya by 2025, with a focus on providing support to 2,521,600 of the most vulnerable children.
Additionally, the ENOUGH campaign was launched on April 23, 2024, marking a significant initiative aimed at tackling child hunger and malnutrition in Kenya.
This campaign aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal 2 and advocates for urgent action from all stakeholders to ensure the availability of sufficient nutritious food, adequate government funding, political will, and collective commitment to eliminate child hunger and malnutrition.
While recognizing the strides made by the Kenyan government and partner organizations in addressing these pressing issues, World Vision Kenya recommends scaling up efforts in several key areas:
- Promotion of climate-resilient agricultural practices, particularly in regions most susceptible to environmental changes, which includes initiatives like Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration.
- Increased budget allocation toward the school feeding program, as recommended by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform, which suggests an allocation of Ksh. 20 per learner per day.
- Implementation of a multi-sectoral approach towards child nutrition and maternal health as part of comprehensive food security strategies aimed at eradicating malnutrition in all its forms.
