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Kenya: WFP Boss Sounds Alarm Over Food Crisis Amid Rising Cost of Key Goods
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The Nation (Nairobi)
INTERVIEW
11 April 2008
Posted to the web 11 April 2008
Ken Opala
Nairobi
Ms Josette Sheeran, the executive director of the World Food Programme, talked to KEN OPALA during her visit to Kenya last week to assess the food situation. Excerpts.
You toured several IDP camps; what did you gather?
The camps' situation has improved in the terms that people's basic needs are being met. But they still have to get back to their lands. Most of the people we met were farmers. They are eager to take opportunity of this planting season to go back and farm. They are anxious for security that is so important in people's lives.
So, I think this gives the leaders of Kenya an opportunity to come together on behalf of those who need assistance most.
You are on your way to meet President Kibaki and Prime Minister-designate Raila Odinga, what will be your message to them?
For the World Food Programme, our concern is the plight of the world's most vulnerable people. They need food and security in order to better their lives and so, my message really is that Kenyan leaders need to pull together, to move ahead.
Kenya is a great nation. It can produce a lot of food. It has a lot of opportunity for the people. Now is the time for Kenya to see this future. We really urge everyone to get together and work towards putting the country ahead. We have to partner with the Government to ensure people have enough to eat, that farmers can get the inputs they need and plant their food.
What would you say about the impasse over the naming of Cabinet even after former UN secretary general Kofi Annan appeared to have sealed a solution to the election impasse?
Our problem is hunger. And the ingredient of overcoming hunger is peace and stability. So, we urge Kenya and every country in the world to really focus on creating the environment where people can take control of their lives and be able to feed themselves. Nobody wants to rely on others for help. And everyone wants an opportunity. Therefore, peace and stability are critical to them.
Which countries did you visit on this trip and what is your impression?
I have been on a world tour that started about three months ago. I started in Mali, and went to Senegal, Egypt, and Syria to look at the impact of high (food) prices on people. I was quite alarmed by what I heard and saw.
I went to donor nations and spoke to the British (authorities), to the European Parliament, to the American Congress, to the White House, to all of our donors in the world to put out an emergency appeal to help people during this time of high food prices.
What we are seeing around the world is that people have been forced to cut down on diet and essential nutrition. This is a global phenomenon.
But if you put on additional stress, such as drought or conflict, it really puts people at a great risk. So in this regard, while in Ethiopia, I met with the prime minister, and visited and talked to people in the streets of Addis (the capital city), but also went and spoke to the African Union and the Economic Commission on Africa about this challenge and how we really want to join hands with them to meet the challenge.
The small farmers are hurting while the big ones are really making extra money. The cost of inputs, including fertilisers, seeds and diesel, are getting really high. This is making it difficult for the small farmer in the world.
We are trying to push solutions to help the small farmer.
Reports indicate that Kenya faces a food crisis. Is this an isolated phenomenon or is it a problem faced by many African countries?
In developing nations that don't produce enough food to feed the populations, the soaring food prices is a situation demanding urgent solution. So we are finding this a really global phenomenon. Again, each situation is different. In Ethiopia they are having a bad drought, so that makes the situation more challenging. And I think the insecurity in Kenya has made it more challenging because less people are planting food.
But the phenomenon is really global. It knows no boundaries. The new face of hunger knows no borders, even the poor in the richer countries are really suffering right now.
How can African countries deal with food insecurity?
First, leaders in Africa and the world have to make it a top political priority, they have to understand the urgency. There's opportunity for farmers here. They can make enough money, and this is a huge opportunity for African farmers. But first, the impact of prices on the poor is hitting them very hard.
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The leaders need to pull together and realise that the people are cutting back their diet, cutting essential nutrients out of their diet, cutting meals out of their diet. This needs to be addressed.
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