State seeks Sh5 billion for strategic food reserve

Agriculture secretary Felix Koskei. FILE 

By GERALD ANDAE

The government is seeking Sh5 billion to help transform the strategic grain reserve into a food bank comprising various foodstuffs in a bid to cut reliance on maize.

The move could erode the protected and ready market that maize farmers have enjoyed for decades, keeping producer prices at nearly double the cost of production

“When we talk of food security, it is not all about maize, we need to move from this tradition and that is why we want to establish a food reserve where a variety of food items will be stocked,” said Agriculture secretary Felix Koskei Tuesday during a meeting with donors.

Mr Koskei said the food bank would include pulses, powder milk, dried fish and rice, expanding the market for the commodities. He said that this would make legumes such as beans, green grams and other pulses available throughout the year at affordable price.

Currently, the strategic food reserve, which is managed by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) only stocks maize, which is normally used for relief emergencies.

The minister said that the move to stock only maize cannot address the challenges of food shortage as the country was not producing even enough of it to meet the ever increasing demand.

“We are talking of a population of 40 million Kenyans, the consumption stands at 40 million bags in a year when we only produce an average of 32 million bags,” he said.

The minister said that the government, starting this year, intend to stock at least eight million bags under the food reserve as opposed to the current three million bags that NCPB stores annually.