MEMBERS of parliament are expected to travel to Denmark this November for food safety training, before passing a bill outlining food security issues in the country.
The bill, which is expected to set ambitious strategies for food production in the country, starting from field, care, harvest and value addition, began its debate in 2012.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Health, however, has been divided over the implementation of the recommendations.
As questions arise as to why the main contributors to food production in the country will not be involved in the Danish visit, the Royal Danish Embassy (RDE) in Kenya has said the traveling MPs will be appointed from the agriculture and health committee in parliament.
The technical experts will also be joined by the legislators. Visiting contribution to reform bill According to Mr Henning Høy Nygaard, RDE food industry consultant, the visit will enable lawmakers to make a significant contribution to improving the country’s food security bill.
“This is the first time we have sent them to Denmark for training, and the visit itself is linked to the food security bill,” Mr Henning said, speaking at a workshop in Nairobi, organized by relevant stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
The official also assured Kenya that Denmark would work with the government to achieve food security in the country.
Denmark is one of the richest nations in the world who has made progress in the agricultural and livestock sector, as well as in value-added crops, and has focused on food security.
Dangerous products
Many stakeholders in the agricultural sector have been focusing on food production and availability, some seemingly ignoring the security of how agriculture is run.
The use of chemical inputs, especially fertilizers and pesticides, has been linked to the development of hazardous and nutritious food-related crops, such as cancer.
Cancer, too, Cancer is a global epidemic and has caused many deaths, considering it to be an incurable and expensive disease to extinguish its edge. According to Mr Henning, there is an urgent need for Kenya to evaluate food security strategies.
Kebs criticized
Criticizing how the country’s Product Quality Assurance Body (Kebs) inspects products in stores and removes substandard products, he said security and status should begin during the planting, maintenance and improvement of field crops and their value additions.
“We all depend on the agricultural and livestock sector, and the crops must be safe,” Mr Henning stressed. The food security bill is in the final stages, before being debated in parliament, according to Agriculture Minister Peter Munya.
Proposals for a special food security agency Minister Munya is proposing the creation of a special agency that will focus on crop and food security in the country.
“With an organization that will focus on food security issues, from field production, harvest to processing, the table meal will be safe,” Munya told Taifa Leo July 2021, Kilimo House in Nairobi.
He said the move would help monitor food production, starting from the field, crop care, harvest and put in place better strategies to add value.
