- The DP’s address will focus on Kenya's food systems transformation initiative.
- Italy's Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will take part in the meeting.
Image: PCS
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is on Monday morning set to address a high-level United Nations summit on financing food systems.
Gachagua will represent President William Ruto at the significant summit, whose participants are mainly Heads of State and key organisations.
The leaders are seeking lasting solutions to hunger, malnutrition and mitigating the impact of climate change.
The DP’s address will focus on Kenya's food systems transformation initiative, as part of stocktaking of the commitment of States, governments and other Stakeholders in allocating resources to end hunger and malnutrition.
Italy's Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will take part in the meeting.
The Summit will also discuss, at length, the school meals programme in which States also work with other partners in ensuring pupils in public primary schools receive food and balanced rations, to promote health and education.
The plenary will be attended by several Heads of State and Government, as well as UN agencies including the World Food Programme, and the Food Agriculture Organisation, among others.
The Kenyan delegation will highlight the progress made in Kenya since 1980 when the school meals programme was rolled out.
Currently, the programme benefits over 1.6 million pupils across the country, especially in arid and semi-arid lands.
It has been shown to increase enrollment and retention of pupils, as well as meet nutritional needs.
n this year's budget, the Government has doubled funds for the school meals programme to Sh5 billion.
Kenya's Ambassador to Italy Jackline Yonga says participation at the Summit is key as the country takes a raft of measures on enhancing food security in the context of the vagaries of Climate Change.
"This is a high-level meeting. It is significant to Kenya to shine and also seek partnership on fostering food security," she said.
Among other initiatives, Gachagua will also speak to measures of sustainably lowering the cost of living especially subsidising production, as opposed to consumption; in the case of the subsidized fertiliser.
Later in the evening, the Deputy President will engage with Kenyans living in Italy, at a dinner at the Westin Hotel in Rome.
He is expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Meloni with the aim of strengthening the bilateral relations between the two nations.
Gachagua is accompanied by his spouse Dorcas Rigathi, Cabinet Secretaries for Agriculture and Education Mithika Linturi and Ezekiel Machogu respectively as well as PS for National Treasury Chris Kiptoo.
At the meeting with Kenyans, he intends to understand their needs and the kind of support they may require from the Government.
The Kenya Kwanza Administration is keen on supporting Diaspora investment back home through structured frameworks.