Kenya to get Ksh22.7b from WB for food security projects
CREDIT: World Bank will loan Kenya $200 million (Sh22.7 billion) to support various development projects designed to enhance food and nutrition security in the next five years.
Vinay Kunar Vutukru, a senior agriculture economist with the bank yesterday confirmed that the multilateral institution is negotiating with the government on a new fund to support various agriculture value chains.
“We are currently in talks with the government to continue our support to the agriculture sector and thus enhance food production,” he said. Vutukuru said the talks are expected to conclude soon and financial assistance approved in the next two months.
“However, the funding will start to be expended in 2023 once the current five development cycle is completed,” he added.
The bank, he added, is currently funding various projects in the agriculture sector in the country to the tune of $500 million (Sh56.8 billion). Vutukuru made the remarks during the launch of a five-year migration and invasive pests and weeds management strategy (2022-2027) at a Nairobi hotel.
Current projects include National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP) and Kenya Clime Smart Garniture Project (KCSAP)
“We are so far impressed by the implementation of the extended funds in the sector in the last five years and the relationship between the national Government and counties,” Vutukuru added.
Locust invasion
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya (pictured) said the crisis brought about by the desert locust invasions demonstrated the need for a well-coordinated, multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approach for migratory and invasive pests management. The lessons learnt from the desert locust invasion and the emergence of new invasive pests and weeds, he added, has also exposed the gaps related to institutional and coordination structures; human capacity and resources, communication, knowledge and information systems.
“It is in this respect that this ministry with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and World Bank spearheaded the development of the Strategy for Management of Migratory and Invasive Pests,” Munya said.
