Food security is key

THAT Kenya is one of the 50 countries where hunger remains alarming should give its leaders and policymakers food for thought.

It is ironical that as grain farmers in the Rift Valley hold on to their stocks, demanding higher prices from the cereals board, thousands of people in some parts of the country are facing starvation.

It is not enough for government officials to declare that no one would die of hunger. Systems must be put in place to ensure that every region is self-sufficient in the production of food. That there are more than a million Kenyans facing the threat of starvation is not just an indictment of the national government.

Agriculture is one of the devolved functions, meaning that counties must raise their game in ensuring food security for their populations.

Whether this will be done by sinking more boreholes, tapping rainwater and storing it in dams, using rivers for irrigation, or popularising orphan crops, the end result must translate into more food for all.

It is not enough to have sufficient food; it must also be readily available and affordable so that even the poorest of families can have enough to eat.

Kenya is striving to be a middle-income nation in a few years. If those in leadership are serious about achieving this goal in their lifetime, they must invest in food security as a matter of national priority.