Why Kenya?

I thought I would add a little to this blog about why Kenya. I did this project on Kenya because I have the great opportunity to travel there this past summer. It was in my travel around the country and meeting the amazing people there that I wanted to focus on Kenya for this project. I thought I would also share some pictures with you all to spice things up a bit.

I was able to meet wonderful children and teach English to them (or at least try)

Africa is absolutely beautiful!  It is not all dry desert.

I woke up to these banging on an old truck every morning. We stayed at a wildlife preserve.

I fell in love with a little boy named Bosco. He is wonderful and I miss him dearly. 

We had the opportunity to leave the city and visit a traditional Maasai family.

This is a a look out over Kibera , one of the largest slums in Africa. 

Kenya: What's being done

A look into solutions

Two of the most powerful movements currently attempting to solve the problem of food insecurity are policies for land reform and for increased government spending on agriculture. There have been improvements in both of these areas. There is now a commission set up to deal with land disputes and distribution. The hope is that this will cut down on local government corruption of land and increase the stability of landowners and farmers in Kenya. Along with land reform, the government has promised to increase its spending from 3% of the budget to just over 5% of the budget for this coming year.

Beyond the government increasing land regulation and spending on farming, local farmers also need to step up the part they are playing. It is suggested that large initiatives take place to help farmers diversify from largely maize crop to other crops as well. Maize does not grow the best under dry conditions, which makes up a large majority of the Kenyan climate. Many agencies are trying to get farmers to diversify their crops to protect against the climate changes and to return to growing more of the traditional crops of Kenya, such as sorghum and millet.

The Special Program for Food Security has been a leader in trying to implement larger scale efforts for farmers to advocate for themselves to help end food insecurity. In the past, all sorts of organizations, aid, and government initiatives have had a minimal impact because of a lack of coordination of services and because of a lack of response to the true needs of the community. There is now an effort to encourage the farmers to make demands of the organizations trying to help and for the organizations to follow the farmers lead and meet those demands as much as possible. One of the current solutions for farmers is to organize farmers’ tours where farmers can tour other areas and farmers that have found solutions to the very problems the farmers are facing. This has proved to be a cheap and extremely effective way of sharing information and finding new and realistic solutions to farmers needs. The group is also not opposed to bringing in outside educators when needed, but have also seen the importance of sharing information amongst the groups of farmers that already exist. This provides the biggest impact to the whole group of farmers and allows them to connect.

Other solutions to the problem that are being looked at include biotechnology to increase the corn yields that have remained stagnate for the past 20 years. The Kenyan government is also changing the policy on trade regulations. For a period of time they got rid of tariffs on food items, and they continue to look at new ways to improve trade relations and regulations for food.

The Kenyan government is also trying a few pilot programs such as giving cash allowances to poor families to try and help meet their needs. This is a unique program and uses some of the strengths of the Kenyan economy such that these cash transfers will take place through mobile money transferred to slum dwelling families. Some group’s see this program very positively as it cuts down the chance for corruptions and puts money directly into the hands of the poor. They will use NGO and community based targeting to select the families in local communities.

These are just a few of the current local and national programs aimed at creating food security within Kenya. I like the majority of the interventions sited here. I see the program with the farmer’s advocating for themselves as very social work appropriate. I love that in my social work schooling there is a push to put the power back in the hands of the farmers. In this case, farmers are supposed to make their own demands in order for their farming to become successful. It is a very community based approach that first looks to the community for how things can be done before looking to outside sources. I think that this is an awesome community strengths approach. This uses what the community already knows and has in place and creates a very sustainable model. It is connecting the larger farming community so that they can continue to work together to solve their problems. This is also decreasing the reliance on outside organizations that may not always be able to work within the community.

The mobile money program is also a very cool step. It is once again utilizing the strengths of the country. Mobile money is a fast, easy and unique way to move money to people and it is highly utilized by those in the country. For the government to utilize this as a way to get money into peoples hands to pay for food is great. I see more unintended consequences with this program than with the others. This one, because it is targeting the urban poor, could cause a greater migration to the urban areas to try and get on this program.

Many of these programs are multifaceted and could be considered as solving for pattern. The Special Program for Food Security is targeting communities, education, farming techniques, arid land, and weather change. The government with their new commission is working to solve the issues around policy, land rights, tariffs, markets, and infrastructure. The mobile money program is working on putting money in to hands to decease the lack of purchasing power and getting rid of corruption of aid.

Here I have mentioned largely what the Kenyan government and people are doing to fix this problem. There are various agencies and NGO’s devoted to trying to solve this problem as well. I chose to focus more on the Kenyan people here because I believe that they have the most at stake in this issue and therefore what they are doing is extremely important. Many foreign NGO’s and governments use Kenya as a place to work or base out of because of its stability in the region. Kenyan’s in my experience have been very open and welcoming to outside people. I spent 2 months in Kenya and didn’t experience much conflict. Part of the reason that while in Kenya I didn’t experience or hear of much conflict is because in part they are used to a flux of people in and out of the country and I was working in an urban area. English speaking international workers have an advantage in Kenya as English is one of the official languages. This provides a greater ability for international workers to directly communicate with people and communities and meet the needs of people. While culturally international workers may have a harder time adapting to a new culture, they need to come with an open-mind; when Kenayan’s  are approached by culturally sensitive people, they are generally very welcoming. Using general social work principles will help international workers partner with Kenyans in valuable and appropriate ways.

Information from:
http://uk.oneworld.net/guides/kenya/food_security?gclid=CMzR2tyPiKgCFcq8KgodUkD1rQ

http://conferences.ifpri.org/2020africaconference/program/day1summaries/kinyua.pdf

http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/Kenya/KenyaFoodSecurity09.pdf

http://www.globalsubsidies.org/en/subsidy-watch/analysis/kenya-launch-pilot-food-security-
program-using-cash-transfers

Kenya: Cause and Impacts of Food Insecurity

A Look in to the roots (causes) of food insecurity in Kenya

There have been many causes for the lack of food security in Kenya to date. Currently at least 25% of Kenyans are classified as food insecure. In as recent as 2009, a large contributing factor has been the weather; lack of the usual rains has caused drought, which has severely affected crop output and forced greater dependence on outside aid. Kenya’s inability to adapt to the changing and unpredictable climate has left it susceptible to a food crisis.

Additionally, the poor management of the agricultural sector of the economy by the government has also contributed to the lack of food security. The government has contributed to the lack of food security in more than just mismanagement of policies. They have left farmers without access to credit or education on better farming techniques. The corruption in the government has also added to the lack of food security for the people as officials have taken foreign aid for themselves, as well as having depleted their own grain reserve. The government’s lack of interest in building a solid infrastructure for Kenya has also contributed to the lack of food security as food cannot be easily moved from one place to another, not to mention that needed tools and resources for farmers are hard to get to their lands with such poor roads.

Instability in the population has also caused food insecurity. The post election violence in 2007/ 2008 displaced many farmers and thus decreased food output. Along with violence that has displaced people, flooding in many regions has also disrupted crop output as well and forcing people to move. Slowly people move back to their land and continue farming but the disruptions and instability continue to cause uncertainty in the food market.

Another cause of food insecurity is the land. The landscape in Kenya is not suitable for farming. The arid ground has caused farmers to not be able to farm or to try and farm in less than ideal circumstances. Along with a lack of good farming land, land disputes have long impacted the agriculture industry in Kenya. With constant fighting and debate about land lines and tribal and other boundaries it has created an unstable environment in which farmers do not want to invest in land that may soon be taken away in a dispute.

Also contributing to the food insecurity is an increase in food price of staple items. Maize is a huge staple item in the urban areas of Kenya. Kenya has recently seen a 70% increase in price of maize and there is no indication of the price lowering in the near future. This spike in prices was in part caused by a contamination that destroyed more than half of the 2009 crop supply. This has caused Kenyans to spend over half of their income on food, at times even reaching as much as ¾ of a families budget.

All other factors aside, a huge cause of food insecurity is the increased demand by a continually growing population. Simply put, the population is growing faster than the local farmers and international aid organizations can get food into the hands of the growing number of people who need it.

There are many consequences to the Kenya population due to constant food insecurity. The over all health of the population is affected. Health effects are many and are not limited to: malnutrition, developmental delays, death, cognitive delays, and a lack of ability to focus and learn in school. There are other negative impacts of food insecurity. Parents and children living under constant stress and worry about where food will come from causing deficient immune systems. Parents and caretakers also struggle with a feeling of failure because they can’t provide the basic necessities of life to their families, leading to a lack of confidence and a culture of dependence on aid from others.

As you can see below malnutrition is a complex web contributes to a number of other consequences for a person life.

I was also going to create a problem tree here so that you all could see the causes and consequences of food insecurity but as I cannot do that currently I will just list the as such.

Causes:
Lack of water
Arid land
Poor farming techniques
Government corruption in distribution of aid
Lack of money to buy food
Rising cost of food
Land disputes
Poor Infrastructure
Government Policy
Dependence on outside organizations
Inconsistent wether


The above causes food insecurity which leads to below.


Consequences:
Malnutrition
Developmental delays
Cognitive delays
Disabilities
Inability to mentally focus
Living in constant stress and uncertainty
Dependence on outside sources of aid --> Lack of confidence in ones abilities to provide



Information from:

http://uk.oneworld.net/guides/kenya/food_security?gclid=CMzR2tyPiKgCFcq8KgodUkD1rQ

http://live.worldbank.org/open-forum-food-crisis?cid=GSN_openforumfoodcrisis_1221

http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/countries/kenya/
template/fs_sr/fy2010/kenya_fi_sr08_08-18-2010.pdf

http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/Kenya/KenyaFoodSecurity09.pdf

http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/2020dp37.pdf

Kenya: Current Situation

Now, to take a look at the recent political and economic situation to give more context to our
thinking.

Politically, Kenya currently has one of the more stable systems in the area, however, Kenya has had a host of its own problems. Largely dominated by a single party system until the 1990’s Kenya has only recently started open and fair elections. 2002 marked the end of a 24-year rule by a single person/party. The 2002 elections were a huge step in a less corrupt election and allowed the incoming president to make some real strides in changing policies because of a strong public backing. After a great start, the 2002 presidency lost legitimacy and another election took place in 2007. The 2007 election was a disaster and lead to claims of the current president rigging the election votes. This caused mass protesting and fighting between tribes. These protest ended with over 1,000 deaths and left much turmoil behind. One of the solutions for change during this time was the re-establishment of the prime minister; this took place in 2008. Then Kenyan’s voted and passed new changes to the constitution, adding more checks and balances to their government system in 2010.

Kenya is the most stable economy in East Africa. In 2002 Kenya not only saw a change in the political environment but also saw a large economic recovery. At the same time that the economy of Kenya was increasing from 2002 to 2007, large disparities in equalities were also increasing. Kenya saw the rich get richer and the poor stay poor, corruption reached new levels, crime in the urban areas increased, and tribal feuds got worse. After the post-election violence in 2007 the economy also took a downturn. This downturn was worsened by the drought and the larger global economic downturn. The government helped to stimulate the economy again in 2008 with the privatization of some large companies such as the electric company and a large phone service provider. The government has in place a plan with goals for a 2030 Kenya but has many more steps to take to get to an improved Kenya. Kenya also saw in 2009 an increase in exports from crops and an increase in tourism, which has helped to increase the economic
situation. A key safety net for a large portion of Kenyan families, despite the increase in work and economic situation of the country, is remittances from abroad. The Kenyan economy is expected to grow another 5% in 2011 according to the World Bank. Kenya has also become a major player in the cell phone industry, participating in an innovative new market tool called mobile money. Mobile money allows people to transfer money to others and pay their bills through their cell phones. This has greatly impacted the economy and is expected to continue to positively impact the economy. A large majority of these new economic breakthroughs have been caused by constitutional changes (the government releasing power over companies) and as more constitutional changes take effect after the 2010 election, we should see a continued positive growth in the Kenyan economy.

Kenya receives a lot of outside foreign aid. China, Russia and a variety of Western countries have poured aid into Kenya. Currently, as much as 60% of all industry in Kenya is still owned by foreign interests. Kenya is also receiving a significant amount of investment from the World Bank and the European Development Fund. A significant amount for Kenyan dependence on foreign investment can be linked back to the end of British colonization. During the transition to independence, a lot of corrupt asset transfers occurred by the British, which destined Kenya for dependence on foreign aid and sent a large majority of the population into poverty. The US has had a relationship with Kenya since its independence and it is expected that the relationship will only strengthen as the Kenyan people have passed the new constitution and are moving more towards a democracy like that of the US government.

Information from:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ke.html

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/KENYAEXTN/
0,,contentMDK:22600594~pagePK:141137~piPK:141127~theSitePK:356509,00.html

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2962.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Kenya#Moi_regime.2C_1978-2002

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Kenya#Foreign_economic_relations

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-08/u-s-to-boost-kenya-investment-after-new-
constitution-update1-.html

Kenya: Overview

Before we can take a deeper look into Kenya and issues of food security we must first get an idea of the background of Kenya. This first post is dedicated to building a solid background and profile of Kenya for us to work off of in the future.

The Basics:

Kenya got its independence from the British in 1963.

Nairobi is the capital of Kenya. Kenya sits on the east coast of Africa. The landscape of Kenya varies from the low coastal plain in the east to mountainous ridges along the Rift Valley. This vast landscape also brings with it various climates. The climate ranges from tropical all the way to arid. Kenya has some of the best wildlife in Africa.

The population of Kenya sits at 39 million.

Their business/official language is English and their national language is Kiswahili, most also speak their tribal tongue.

Kenya has over 40 different tribes, which at times can cause conflict, though in recent years there has been a uniting movement, stating that people are firstly Kenyan, and then their specific tribes.

Education:

Primary school is free up to grade 8.

The attendance rate is 92% for primary school with the adult literacy rate is between 74-85%.

Population:

42 % of its population is below the age of 15.

22% of the total population lives in Urban areas

Life expectance is about 60 years of age.

1.5 million people are living with HIV/AIDS


Economy:

The GDP is $29.5 billion with a growth rate of 2.6%. Compared to the US at $14.7 trillion with a 2.7% growth rate.

There economy is divided into three sectors: Services (60%), industry and commerce (17%) and agriculture (23%), with only 17% of the land arable.

75% of Kenya’s labor force works in agriculture

Kenya has a 40% unemployment rate

50% of the population is living below the poverty line

Information from:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2962.htm
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ke.html
http://www.ungei.org/infobycountry/kenya.html