Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) Kenya and other partners of the Coalition, today hosted the World Soil Day Conference themed “Enhancing Soil Health for Sustainable Food Systems” in Nairobi which brought together more than 100 stakeholders to discuss the vital role soil health and management play in pursuing food production that meets the nutritional needs of Kenya’s growing population.
Speaking during the launch, Chief Guest Principal Secretary State Department of Crop Development and Research Dr. Paul Ronoh emphasized the government’s commitment to addressing soil health to further transform Kenya’s Food Systems.
“I am greatly honoured to join you in this year’s World Soil Day celebrations. The 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly declare the year 2015 as the international years of soil and since then, every 5th of December is celebrated as the World’s Soil Day,” said Dr. Ronoh
Kenya's agriculture sector currently realizes only 25% of its potential yields.This underperformance is largely attributed to the rapid depletion of critical micro and macro nutrients in the soil, such as phosphorus, essential for optimal plant growth and yields.
Approximately 63% of Kenya’s arable land suffer from soil acidity, only between 1% and 8% of farmers adopt the appropriate use of lime for managing this acidity. This coupled with the compounding impact of climate change, including prolonged droughts and persistent rains leading to catastrophic floods, highlight the pressing need for urgent action to address soil health in Kenya’s food system.
AGRA Vice President for Program Deliver Prof. Hamadi Boga on his part said “We are pleased to launch the Food Systems and Land Use action plan 2024 – 2030 on this World Soil Day. Building on the momentum generated by a national consultative process, these evidence-based recommendations are a step in furthering the conversation of Kenya’s food system transformation, of which soil remains a critical element,” professor Boga was speaking in the conference that sought to promote soil health, biodiversity conservation, climate change, youth entrepreneurship in the food and land use systems, sustainable consumption and healthy diets in Kenya.
The conference culminated in the launch of Kenya Food Systems and Land Use Action plan 2024-2030 that makes recommendations on building a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food system for Kenya. This strategic plan prioritises key issues such as sustainable land use, productive and regenerative agriculture, healthy diets, reducing food loss and waste, protecting and restoring nature and whole system transition through gender, youth and social inclusion.
