In February 2023, officers from the Agriculture and Rural Development Office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), were in Kenya for a monitoring mission of the different projects run by the Agency in the field.
On 20th and 21st February, the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact Secretariat, together with the AICS HQ and Kenya officers, met with representatives of Nairobi and Kisumu Counties, in the framework of the recent agreement that AICS signed with the MUFPP, with the aim of promoting the Pact and reinforcing its activities in cities worldwide.
The objective of the meetings where two: for Kisumu, illustrating them the MUFPP, how it works, what are the benefit for cities to join it and the practical steps to sign it. In Kisumu, they are currently developing a food strategy, that will focus six thematic areas: food production and post-harvest losses, food safety, infrastructure development, market access, information and technology, mainstreaming crosscutting issues.
It has been highlighted that signing the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact can support further the effort of the County in developing and implementing its food strategy.
Concerning the meeting with Nairobi City County, it took place at the City Hall, with the participation of H.E. The Deputy Governor, Njoroge Muchiri, as well as senior officers and County Executive Committee members, from the Environmental Department and Agriculture, Green Nairobi and MUFPP Focal Point for Nairobi.
Nairobi City County signed the MUFPP in 2016 and has been an active member within the MUFPP community. It has served as members of the MUFPP Steering Committee (2019-2021), submitted different practices to the Milan Pact Awards, thus enriching the living library of best practices, won a Special Mention of the Social and Economic Equity category (2019), participated as pilot city for the development of the MUFPP Monitoring Framework (44 indicators) and took actively part to the different Global and Regional Fora of the Pact.
The MUFPP Secretariat has presented the Pact and highlighted some opportunities for further collaboration between Nairobi and the MUFPP. Nairobi City County presented its achievement both within the MUFPP as well as in the development of its own food system strategy, declined in various successful actions, such as governance of the food system, food production and urban and peri-urban agriculture technologies, including hydroponic, fish and livestock production in schools and private farms, agroforestry and fruit tree planting in public premises, food waste processing, compost etc.
Those actions were made possible also thanks to the Italian Government that funded the development cooperation project “Integrated Action for Innovative Food Systems Across Rural – Urban communities” run by the FAO in Kenya.
Considering that the Kenyan Constitution explicitly refers the to the right to adequate food in the context of economic, social and cultural rights that are essential for people to live in dignity (art 43) and that local governments shall align to these provisions, the recent agreement between AICS and the MUFPP is contributing to strengthening local authorities’ capacities on sustainable urban food systems in Kenya, as well as in other countries were AICS operates.
