Home-grown: Linking farmers, indigenous vegetables and

schools in Western Kenya for improved nutritionVictor Wasike, National Project Coordinator (BFN Kenya)

Teresa Borelli, Programme Specialist, Bioversity International (BFN Global)Rome, 13 October 2016

Kenya Nutrition Snapshot 2016

Scaling Up Nutrition (2016) http://scalingupnutrition.org/sun-countries/kenya/

Markets in Kenya

Rural Urban

African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs)

Amaranthus sp Cleome gynandra Solanum spp.

Corchorus olitoriusCrotalaria ochroleucaVigna unguiculata

Amaranthus spp.

Conceptual model

Farmer

organization

Food

ProductionTrading

Value

Addition

Distribution

to schoolsFood

preparation

Distribution

to children

Agriculture sector and food production

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Organizing

farmers

Food

Production

• Organize themselves into

production groups and

cooperatives

• Handle, process and

financially manage their

businesses

FBS model developed

Sustainable AgriculturalPractices

• Produce nutritious

foods in sufficient

quantity and quality to

meet rising demand for

AIVs from institutional

markets

30 farmer groups

are empowered to:

Food procurement

KALRO/BFN Kenya: J. Ndungu

Trading

FBS model developed

30 farmer groups are empowered to:

• Carry out gross margin analysis to establish equitable

price for selling of AIVs

• To compete in the complicated tender and school

procurement processes

Logistics and processing

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Distribution

to Schools

Value

Addition

• Understand food

safety regulations

and quality control

• Add value to their

produce

• Farmers grow the

AIVs directly on

school land and

have reduced

transport and

distribution costs

30 farmer groups

are empowered to:

KA

LRO

/BF

N K

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: J.N

dung

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FBS model developed

Food preparation and feeding

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Food

preparation

Distribution

to children

• Recipes documented

and used

• Cooking

demonstrations

• Build capacity of

school cooks to

prepare AIVs

• Increased use of

AIVs in school meals

Recipe books & Nutrition education

HGSF segment Constraints Opportunities

Disorganized, non cohesive groups

Poor negotiation skills

Existence of few organized groups/

Willingness to participate in capacity

building

Poor production technologies/low

production/productivity

Poor and inadequate availability of quality seed

Technologies exist (GAP)

Partners/infrastructure to develop improved

varieties exist (PPP)

Community seed banks

Lack of market infrastructures, of market info;

complicated procurement procedures

Potential markets unexplored

Rising awareness on nutritional benefits

Limited knowledge on value addition

High perishability/seasonality

Training on value addition to supply during

off season and to niche markets; new

technologies to reduce drudgery

High perishability/seasonality; Poor distribution

systems often relying on middle men thus limiting

profitability

Institutional market links; Schools own large

portions of land; Increasing interest from

more counties, schools, and eateries and

scope (e.g. OFSP; finger millet).

Undocumented recipes/limited appreciation by

youth; Low awareness of suitable preparation

methods that retain nutritive value

Recipes documented and publicized/

popularity of AIV increasing (Unity Hotel,

Amaika); Awareness by policy champions

(Beyond Zero campaign)

Limited nutrition knowledge of AIVs and correct

mode of preparation; drudgery

Policies exist supporting AIVs: (National

School Meals Progr., Nutrition Strategy &

Action Plan)

Farmer

organization

Food

Production

Trading

Value

Addition

Distribution

to schools

Food

preparation

Distribution

to children

Establishing an enabling environment

Build the evidence baseUpdating of the Kenya Food Composition Table (FCT) and inclusion of new data on AIVs and other indigenous, locally-important foods

Influence policiesDrafting of a Biodiversity Policy for Busia County that recognizes the importance of indigenous foods for nutrition and food security

Raise awarenessFood fairs, BFN conferences, recipe books, cooking demonstrations

Thank you

www.bioversityinternational.org/subscribe

@BioversityInt

Victor Wasike

vwwasike@yahoo.com

Teresa Borelli

t.borelli@cgiar.org

www.b4fn.org@B4FNTeam