Discussion of a food and nutrition policy for Kenya

Abstract

The paper was produced on request of the Head of the Kenya Delegation to the 1974 World Food Conference in Rome. It reflects the authors’ views on basic policies to improve the nutritional status of vulnerable groups in Kenya. The authors state that vulnerable groups in Kenya are the mothers and pre-school children of the low income groups in society. These can be found especially among "less progressive" smallholding farmers, further in communities living in semiarid and arid rural areas and among the urban unemployed or underemployed. The authors have reservation on feeding programs. They stress preventive measures which centre around a certain extent of self reliance in food production and most of all on income generating projects for the endangered groups. "Less progressive" oriented agricultural extension and appropriate technology are two measures considered important among others discussed. Programmes such as nutrition education, population planning and health are considered to assist in eliminating malnutrition. A priority system of policies related to nutrition (chart) is given as a short summary of the paper’s suggested approach to eradicate malnutrition.