This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
On June 25, 2020, the Kenyan government initiated a kitchen garden programme to address the impending food crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme aims to support over one million vulnerable households across the country.
According to Ann Nyaga, the Chief Administrative Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives, the kitchen gardens will improve diets by providing households with vegetables, fruits, and herbs, enhancing nutrition and boosting immunity during the pandemic.
Ms. Nyaga noted that the pandemic has exacerbated the country's nutrition situation, particularly among vulnerable households, necessitating emergency support to produce nutritious foods that can also be sold for income.
Speaking at Kasikeu market in Makueni County, Ms. Nyaga said that targeted households will receive a starter kit containing seeds, a shade net, and a water tank. Each kit will cost Sh1,350, translating to Sh1.35 billion for the one million households.
Households with surplus production will be facilitated with solar dryers to prolong the shelf life of perishable foods and reduce market visits, promoting social distancing.
The programme will prioritize poor households, single-headed households, widowers, and widows, as well as the youth, who will receive kitchen garden kits to raise seedlings for sale.
Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana expressed support for the programme, citing its emphasis on nutrition and potential as an economic recovery strategy.
County Commissioner Maalim Mohammed praised the project as timely, particularly for Makueni County, which experiences perennial droughts.
By Roselyne Kavoo
