A nurse examines a child suffering from malnutrition in Turkana. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Kenya is one of 12 countries that have
been selected as the focus of the second phase of an American programme
to combat food insecurity.
In a statement, the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID) said that each of
the countries was selected based on their level of need as well as
“their opportunity for progress and partnership”.
“With
the selection of these 12 countries, we will be focusing efforts on
promoting long-term sustainable development that gives people the
ability to build their own future and to resist the shocks that are
brought on by drought and other natural disasters,” said USAid
administrator Mark Green in Ethiopia on Wednesday.
Kenya
was also part of the first phase of the “Feed the Future” programme
which was launched in 2009. Under the programme, USAid reports that 1.1
million farmers have used new technologies for the first time in 2016.
Feed
the Future also says that farmers on the programme have earned Sh9.9
billion ($97 million) in new income from product sales while Sh1.3
billion ($13 million) in private sector financing has been drawn to the
country.
Globally, Feed the Future says that it has
facilitated Sh278 billion ($2.7 billion) in agricultural loans. The
Americans also say that theplan has increased US exports to partner
states by Sh103 billion ($1 billion).
Other African countries targeted for the second phase
of the programme are Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and
Uganda.
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