by Kimani Munji

The article talks rice being posed to play a key role in Kenya, in providing or meeting food and nutritional needs of her people. However, there are challenges to be overcome; among them, land degradation, growing population, climate change and variability, expanding consumption. All these have contributed to huge rice imports despite the fact that Kenya has the capacity to produce enough for her domestic consumption and even export to the region and overseas markets.

Key players that are working in tandem to ensure food and nutritional security is secured are: the Rice Promotion Unit (RIPU) a brainchild of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), World Bank, East Africa Agricultural Productivity Project (EAAPP) covering Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Africa Rice Centre (ARC), International Cooperation Center for Agricultural Education (ICCAE), Kenya Seed Company, Vibha Seed (Ke) limited, and other regional Institutions like ASARECA, and National Agricultural Research Systems like Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI).

by Alex Simalabwi

Water is a key input to economic growth sectors and contributes to employment, job creation and gross domestic product (GDP). Water is at the heart of development objectives across most sectors – for example health, energy, agriculture, environment, mining, industry and social protection. Yet,
most African countries are far from achieving water security and the onset of climate change will further compromise prospects. Ensuring water security through more effective water management contributes to development goals, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

Recommendations of the report are:

• Governments should protect their development goals and ambitions against derailment by water and climate impacts.
• High-level advisors and decision makers are encouraged to increase the priority of water security and climate resilient growth and development.

They are further encouraged to benefit from, and mandate the use of, the Framework in support of the following objectives:

• To identify and develop no/low regrets investments, and to prioritise these in existing development planning, budgeting and financing processes.
• To influence existing and future development planning activities so they become more resilient to climate change and variability.
• To increase domestic and external investment in water security and climate resilient development.
• To identify innovative financing strategies for investments, exploiting opportunities from funds offering finance for climate adaptation in combination with conventional sources.