The Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute has teamed up with the Food and Agriculture Organisation in an effort to address food loss and waste in Kenya.
This comes in response to the growing concerns about high post harvest losses and food wastage at the household level, which poses significant risks to the country’s food security and economic growth.
The partnership focuses on training Micro and Small Enterprises engaged in various agricultural value chains.
The training aims to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to minimise food loss and increase the value of their produce, ultimately improving their profitability.
The programme covers practical technologies such as solar drying, hermetic storage and cold chains systems, all of which will play a critical role in preserving extending shelf life.
Additionally, participants were introduced to innovative solutions that allow them to convert food waste into valuable by-products, such as animal feed and organic fertiliser.
According to the Director General of Kirdi Dr Calvin Onyango, the programme focuses on high priority sectors including fruits, vegetables, cereals, dairy and fish.
The goal is to reduce Kenya’s average post harvest loss, currently estimated at 30 per cent to zero.
During the launch of the first training session at the Kirdi Kisumu centre, Onyango explained that the training would provide SMES with hands-on experience in agro-processing technologies, empowering them to address food waste and loss effectively.
“A significant amount of food is wasted at the farm level. Our goal with this initiative is to eliminate these losses entirely, ensuring that every Kenyan has enough food,” he said.
The training aligns with the government’s Bottom Up Economic Agenda, which is aimed at improving food security by empowering small scale farmers and entrepreneurs.
The DG said they are equipping MSME’s with the tools and knowledge necessary for effective post harvest handling, storage and value addition.
“By cutting food losses to zero, we not only enhance food security but also create new income opportunities for farmers and small businesses.”
FAO representative Winnie Yegon revealed that the
organisation has formalised its support through a
Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of
Agriculture, Health and Environment to implement
this programme.
