Drop industrial farming, Greenpeace urges Kenya government

Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri (centre) addresses a press conference in Nairobi on Wednesday, September 26 2018, alongside Chief Administrative Secretary, Agriculture and Irrigation, Dr Andrew Tuimur (left) and Chairman, United Grain Millers Association, Peter Kuguru, shortly after a meeting with millers and traders, in Nairobi.Kiunjuri announced drop in maize flour prices to Sh75 per 2KG packet. Greenpeace is now petitioning to legislate laws that promote ecological farming. [Photo: David Njaaga/Standard]

As the world marks world food day, Kenyan consumers and small scale farmers in partnership with Greenpeace Africa have petitioned Kenyan parliament to make laws that support sustainable ecological farming.

In the petition, Greenpeace Environmental Organisation, – an organisation that works with smallholder farmers in Kenya to promote ecological agriculture – says it is acting on behalf of the public interest; the citizens of Kenya, consumers and small scale farmers.

"It is in public interest that we formally lodge this petition concerning Kenya's broken food system and the urgent need for support towards policy and budget allocation towards ecological agriculture," read its statement.

The organisation is urging Kenyan government to reclaim food security through ecological farming, legislate laws that govern water harvesting and establish seed banks for indigenous seeds.

The demonstrators also urged the government to "shift its investment in agriculture and its policy support away from industrial agriculture to ecological farming.

Over 80 per cent of Kenyans, especially those living in rural areas, derive their livelihoods mainly from agricultural related activities.

But, according to USAID, "only about 20 per cent of Kenyan land is suitable for farming, and in these areas maximum yields have not been achieved, leaving considerable potential for increases in productivity."?