Nakuru County is among three counties implementing the Governance of Food Systems project in partnership with the University of Nairobi (UoN), Department of Agricultural Economics, and Mazingira Institute.
The County government says this is geared towards ensuring as Nakuru transitions to a city, appropriate policies are developed to enhance the potential of agriculture in the city and mitigate the risks.
Agriculture CECM, Dr. Immaculate Maina, during a consultative meeting, said that the project will help farmers in the urban and peri-urban areas to meet the growing demand for local food making use of under-utilized spaces. The Project Leader and UoN’s Dr. Samuel Omondi said that through the project farmers will be trained on sustainable production, food safety, value addition, marketing, and waste management to enhance urban food security, environmental management, and poverty alleviation. Dr. Maina recommended the engagement of schools within urban centers to educate students on urban farming and encouraging them to grow food.
The 18-month project, funded by AgriFoSe2030, is being implemented in the cities of Nakuru, Nairobi, and Kisumu targeting the vegetables, poultry, and dairy value chains. Focus areas include Nakuru Town East, Nakuru Town West, Rongai, and Bahati sub-counties.
