Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Saturday, July 22 left the country for Italy, for a three-day high-level United Nations Food Systems Summit Stock-Taking that kicks off Monday in Rome.
Mr Gachagua will address the high-level four-day meeting on behalf of President William Ruto under the invitation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
On Monday morning, he will deliver the key note address on Financing Food Systems with a special focus on Kenya’s Food Systems Transformation Initiative, as part of the stocktaking of the commitment of States, governments and other Stakeholders in allocating resources to end hunger and malnutrition.
The Summit will also discuss, at length, the school meals programme in which States also work with other partners in ensuring pupils in public primary schools receive food and in balanced rations, to promote health and education.
At the plenary, which will be attended by several Heads of State and Government, as well as UN agencies including the World Food Programme, and the Food Agriculture Organisation, among others, Mr Gachagua will highlight the progress made in Kenya since 1980, when the school meals was rolled out.
On Monday evening, the Deputy President will engage with Kenyans living in Italy, at a dinner at the Westin Hotel in Rome. He is expected to hold talks with the Prime Minister of Italy Ms Georgia Meloni with the aim of strengthening the bilateral relations of the two nations.
At the meeting with Kenyans living in Italy, the DP intends to understand their needs and the kind of support they may require from the Government.
Diaspora remittances into the country last year almost hit a half a trillion Kenya Shillings, with the country receiving Ksh185.9 billion in the first four months of 2023.
On Tuesday morning, the Deputy President will speak at a breakfast side meeting on homegrown sources of food school meals programme.
Mr Gachagua will share Kenya’s experience on the impact of the school meals programme, which is supported by the World Food Programme- and how it can contribute to combating climate change through structured contracting of farmers to produce food schools.
Source-https://www.nairobileo.co.ke/
Rigathi Gachagua’s Remarks on Hustler Fund at the UN Summit in Italy
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Monday, July 24 made his remarks at the high-level United Nations Summit+2 Stocktaking on Financing Food Systems in Rome, Italy.
Gachagua spoke about the school’s feeding programme that has been rolled out under President William Ruto’s administration.
“Our country has made great progress since the introduction of free and compulsory education in 2003. Despite this, there are still glaring inequalities among school-going children across the country due to a combination of factors, including poverty, food insecurity, recurrent droughts, conflicts and displacements, and periodic migration.
“To create an equal and enabling environment for all school-going children, the Kenya Government is supporting various school meals programmes mainly targeting children in the ASAL regions,” Gachagua stated.
The Deputy President noted that the Government has changed the strategy in financing food systems by putting more money at the bottom of the economic pyramid where most of the food is produced.
“We have rolled out the Hustler Fund for the access of the majority of the people in the food production. This has enhanced financial inclusivity. We have invested over Sh50 billion to boost various interventions in the agricultural sector. We have subsidised fertilizers to increase food production,” he stated.
Gachagua said that the Government is in partnership with global partners to enhance food production.
“There must be a different financial structure for African countries because the present structure has been disadvantageous to the African continent. We call upon our partners to look at African issues differently and finance food systems for more production of food and ensure there is surplus,” he told the panel.
Source-https://www.nairobileo.co.ke/
Rigathi Gachagua in Rome, Will Meet Kenyans Living in Italy Today
