As we mark World Food Day, World Vision Kenya joins the global community, children, households, communities, and the Government of Kenya in championing the theme “Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future.” This powerful call to action reminds us that food is not merely a commodity, but a fundamental human right essential to dignity, health, and opportunity.
Despite ongoing efforts, Kenya continues to face significant challenges in food security and nutrition. The 2024 Global Hunger Index ranks Kenya 100th out of 127 countries, with a score of 25.0, indicating a “serious” level of hunger. This sobering statistic underscores the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to tackle food insecurity and ensure no one is left behind.
According to the latest Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) report from September, 1.7 million Kenyans are currently grappling with acute food insecurity. Even more alarmingly, 760,500 children urgently require nutritional support due to severe malnutrition. The 2022 Kenya Demographic Health Survey further reveals that among children aged 6-59 months, 18% are stunted, 5% are wasted, and 10% are underweight.
World Vision Kenya’s National Director, Gilbert Kamanga, stated, “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.”
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In response to these challenges, World Vision Kenya has intensified its efforts to combat hunger and malnutrition:
- In the fiscal year 2023, we implemented 107 programs and projects focusing on Livelihoods and Resilience, Health and Nutrition, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), Education, Protection, Public Policy and Advocacy, and Humanitarian and Emergency Response.
- We invested over 13.05 billion Kenyan shillings in food and nutrition security projects, with more than 50% of this funding directly supporting efforts to combat hunger and malnutrition.
- Our interventions reached a total of 3,429,853 people, including 1,495,512 adults (556,109 men and 939,406 women) and 1,934,341 children (948,724 boys and 985,617 girls).
- Under our current strategy, which began in 2021, we aim to improve the well-being of 8,827,654 children in Kenya by 2025, prioritizing support for 2,521,600 of the most vulnerable children.
On April 23, 2024, we launched the ENOUGH campaign, a landmark initiative aimed at addressing child hunger and malnutrition in Kenya. This campaign aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 2 and calls for urgent action from all stakeholders to ensure:
- ENOUGH nutritious food
- ENOUGH government funding
- ENOUGH political will
- ENOUGH collective commitment to end child hunger and malnutrition
We recognize the ongoing efforts of the Kenyan government and our partners in addressing these critical issues. However, to accelerate progress, we recommend scaling up efforts in the following areas:
- Foster climate-resilient agricultural practices, particularly in areas most vulnerable to environmental changes, including scaling up Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration.
- Allocate sufficient budget towards the school feeding program, as per the Presidential Working Party on Education reforms report, which recommends the allocation of Ksh. 20 per learner per day.
- Implement a multi-sectoral approach towards child nutrition and maternal health as part of comprehensive food security measures to end malnutrition in all its forms.
World Vision Kenya remains committed to working alongside the government, civil society, religious organizations, and the private sector to ensure every child’s right to food is realized. Together, we can build a Kenya where no child goes to bed hungry and every family has the means to provide nutritious meals for their children.
