The USK Foundation was honored to engage with Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, EGH, the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, to discuss the vital role of indigenous knowledge in achieving national food sovereignty.
As CS Kagwe leads the Ministry’s efforts to streamline operations and enhance productivity under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the USK Foundation shared its proven models for sustainable development. These models utilize Indigenous Ecological Knowledge (IEK) to bolster food security and climate resilience.
Key synergy areas discussed include:
- Traditional Food Security Models: Aligning the Foundation’s feeding programs with the Ministry’s efforts to shield livestock and crops from climate-induced shocks, particularly in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs).
- Sustainable Agriculture: Exploring how ancient wisdom regarding soil health and seed preservation can enhance modern agricultural practices to ensure long-term sustainability.
- Empowering Rural Youth & Women: Leveraging the Foundation’s USD 10 million annual budget to support advocacy and training programs that equip indigenous farmers with both traditional and modern technology to enhance yields.
- Sugar and Crop Policy: Aligning with the CS’s new policy overhauls to ensure that the cultural heritage and economic rights of small-scale farmers in regions like the Lake Victoria Basin are protected.
By collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the USK Foundation is ensuring that Kenya’s path to food security is inclusive, culturally rooted, and sustainable for generations to come.
