Agriculture remains the backbone of the Kenyan economy. It is the single most important sector in the economy, contributing approximately 25% of the GDP, and employing 75% of the national labour force (Republic of Kenya 2005). Over 80% of the Kenyan population live in the rural areas and derive their livelihoods, directly or indirectly from agriculture.

• Community-based management of acute malnutrition programs
• Child growth promotion programs (maternal and child nutrition, especially from pregnancy to age 3)
• Seasonal employment programs
• Social pensions for those unable to work

A “minimum essential package” for fighting seasonal hunger, How much would universalizing a minimum essential package cost annually?

Studies on systems of agricultural innovation in Kenya and other African countries have shown that the concept of innovation exists in form of technologies, products, processes and organizational forms. Notable also is the existence of indigenous systems of innovation which have not been considered in development of modern innovations. In other instances, this concept of innovation has not been operationally explored in terms of its capacity to improve agricultural productivity which would culminate into a food secure nation and economically empowered farmers. Despite the existence of various organizations dealing with systems of innovation, there are weak linkages between them and more so, along the commodity value chains. This is a proposal for the establishment of Kenya National Agricultural Innovation Systems (KENAIS) Network which aims to enhance public and private partnerships towards realization of Kenya’s Vision 2030. The proposed Network of Kenya National Innovation Programme (KENAIP) emerged from a recent study sponsored by the World Bank Institute (WBI) on how public policy facilitates or impedes agribusiness innovation in six African countries (Viz. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Mozambique and Ghana) (forthcoming WBI book).

1. Seasonal hunger is predictable, can be understood and there are tested solutions

2. What happens during seasonal hunger and what happens in famine differs only in severity – Sequencing of coping remains largely the same

3. Moreover the link between them is causal: a chain of shocks leads to the erosion of resilience of a whole community, turning the “normal” seasonal hunger into a major catastrophe.

By Rachel Sabates-Wheeler, Andrew Dorward, John Omiti, Stephen Devereux, Amdissa Teshome, Ephraim Chirwa
October 2007

This report describes the main activities and outputs of the Future Agriculture Consortium(FAC) under the theme of Growth and Social Protection for Phase I. Core work on the theme has involved the development of a conceptual framework setting out potential and evolving synergies and conflicts between social protection and agricultural growth in the livelihoodsof poor and vulnerable people, in local and national economies, and in policy formulation and implementation.