Smallholder farmers who are major producers of food in Kenya are now severely impacted by the lockdown and movement restrictions set in place to contain the country’s COVID-19 pandemic.
Agricultural input supply systems have been disrupted in many parts of the country and as a result, farmers do not receive farm inputs on time. This has greatly affected agricultural activities including the planting of crops in the recently concluded long rainy season.
The global pandemic has posed a serious threat to current and future food and nutrition security in Kenya.
To lessen the effect of COVID-19 on farming communities in Kenya, KENAFF has embarked on establishing a direct support system to member farmers which includes the distribution of farm inputs and sourcing and distribution of planting materials of crops such as maize, sorghum, beans, sweet potato and cassava, and fodders like Brachiaria grass, Lucerne and Boma Rhodes.
KENAFF County leaders distributing sweet potato vines to farmers in Meru County
To complement the government’s efforts to communicate to the general public on COVID-19, KENAFF has rolled out media appearances such as press statements, radio and TV talk shows, and radio and TV interviews.
This article was published on July 7, 2020 by InnovAfrica
