Food Security In Africa

Food Security is becoming more of a global problem with every passing year. Not only is the world’s population growing at such an alarming rate, but the changing climate is also a contributing factor which is making the growth and edibility of food items more difficult and harder to sustain in order to sell on or to eat. It is inevitable that food scarcity will soon become a global pandemic; as many more universities are teaching their students about the impact that food insecurity is having on the ever growing populations of the world, but especially in Africa where drought and famine are almost becoming a norm of life as millions struggle to simply survive. What is food security? Or more importantly what is food insecurity, and what can be

In Kenya, at this point in time food shortages and hunger gaps are not just occurring at certain times of the year when there is expected less rain fall; instead because of the massive climate changes Kenya is currently experiencing a nationwide drought, affecting multiple regions across the country from Turkana, Rift Valley, and Laikipia to Mandera. 1. The Guardian newspaper issued an article in March 2014 stating that aid workers were “warning of a looming humanitarian crisis in North West Kenya, where a year long drought and the late arrival of the rainy season have left more than 300,000 people in desperate need of food and water”. The article goes on to state how the people of Turkana are “undergoing a lot of starvation” as pastoralists flee with their livestock to neighbouring countries in search of food. Men leave their wives and children at home in order to sustain their livestock which is primarily consumed and used by them for meat and milk. People have even been forced “to eat roots, berries and stray dogs to stay alive”, highlighting the desperation Kenyans are facing. Over 30,000 pastoralists have been affected and uprooted their lives, ironically in order to sustain it; livelihoods are also dependant on

WFP are one of the major contributors to relief food in the country as it is part of their mandate. WFP is currently providing school meals to 770,000 school children in the northern arid districts of the country. In more semi-arid regions of the country, Kenya’s Ministry of Education is feeding another 750,000 children, which is being carried out through the “Home Grown Feeding Programme”. These types of initiatives are ensuring that at least school children have one good meal a day, which irrevocably puts less stress on the children parents. In Baringo County households are unable to meet their basic food requirements due to the inconsistent rains the country has been facing in 2014. An organization called World Vision is a catholic relief organization which helps impoverished communities receive food security and is currently working with children and communities in thirty five out of the fourty seven counties in Kenya. Action Against Hunger is another prevalent organization which has been implementing food programs within Kenya since 2002; dealing with programs such as water sanitation, food security, and hygiene. In 2011, Kenya suffered the worst drought known to date as the organization rushed to provide aid to over 24,000 people suffering from malnutrition. In addition to the emergency support provided, the organization has