Decrypting the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya

John Lokuruka Napoo; Simeon Pharis Ndwiga; Victor Musi Musitia

doi:doi:10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14

| Peer-Reviewed

Decrypting the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya

John Lokuruka Napoo, Simeon Pharis Ndwiga, Victor Musi Musitia

Published in Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences (Volume 11, Issue 1)

Received: 12 January 2023 Accepted: 8 February 2023 Published: 9 March 2023

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

Globally, there has been tremendous effort towards ending hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by the year 2030. These efforts have not realized the desired results due to conflicts within and without countries, climate variability and extremes, and economic slowdowns and downturns. In Kenya, food and nutrition insecurity existed even before the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic. With the occurrence of the pandemic, food systems and food supply chains relied upon by the population to access sufficient and affordable food of high nutritional value further worsened the already unfavorable situation. The gradual shocks and interruptions on food systems and food supply chains by the climate change, high poverty levels, income inequality, high cost of healthy diets, labor shortages coupled with global recession and pandemic containment measures required urgent attention and timely interventions to protect the vulnerable population. This view point paper provides an insight of the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security, and the trends affecting food systems. The paper adopted descriptive approach which utilized an array of contemporary scholarly views and their research outputs on food and nutrition security which resonated with the Kenyan situation. The study findings emphasized on the need to adopt a multidisciplinary and multifaceted approach when addressing food and nutrition security even at the time of a pandemic in order to achieve the intent for the realization of the right to food of high nutritional value. The study revealed that Kenya should adopt diverse strategies for enhancing food and nutrition security, thus including crop diversification, crop bio-fortification, research on genomics and precision breeding, agroecology technique application, capacity building of extension workers, investing in climate smart agriculture and adoption of human centered design model to enhance resilient food systems. The findings will be vital to policy and decision-makers responsible for food and nutrition security.

Published in	Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences (Volume 11, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14
Page(s)	24-29
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

COVID-19, Decrypting, Food and Nutrition Security, Kenya

References

[1]	Almekinders, C. J. M., & Louwaars, N. P. (1999). Farmers’ seed production: New approaches and practices. London, Intermediate Technology Publications.
[2]	Barasa, E., Kazungu, J., Orangi, S., Kabia, E., Ogero, M., and Kadondi, K. (2021). Indirect Health Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kenya: A mixed methods assessment. BMC Health Services Research.
[3]	Bironga, H. C., Keyombe, J. L. A., Aura, C. M., and Odoli, C. O. (2022). Unmasking the Impact of COVID-19 on the Livelihood of Small Scale Fishers along the Kenyan Coast for Possible Interventions. Kenya Aquatica Scientific Journal of the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 6-12.
[4]	Chei, B., Gloria, E., Millicent, A. A., Isaac, C. O., et al. (2021). “Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty and Living Standards in Ghana: A micro-perspective”, Cogent Economics and Finance.
[5]	FAO (2006). Policy Brief. Food Security Issue 2.
[6]	FAO. (2017). The Future of Food and Agriculture: Trends and Challenges. Rome.
[7]	Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on Kenya’s Food Systems.
[8]	Golan, M. S., Jernegan, L. H., and Linkov, I. (2020). Trends and Applications of Resilience Analytics in Supply Chain Modeling: Systematic Literature Review in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Environment Systems and Decisions.
[9]	Government of Kenya. National Food and Nutrition Security Policy, 2011.
[10]	Govindan, K., Mina, H., and Alavi, B. (2020). A Decision Support System for Demand Management in Healthcare Supply Chains Considering the Epidemic Outbreaks: A Case Study of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation, 138, 101967.
[11]	HLPE issues paper 2020 - Impacts of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition: Developing Effective Policy Responses to Address the Hunger and Malnutrition Pandemic.
[12]	HLPE Report 15 Food Security and Nutrition: Building a Global Narrative towards 2030.
[13]	Huho, J. M. (2020). The Two Sides of COVID-19 in Kenya: Getting a Closer Look. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP). Volume 10 (8).
[14]	Jose, G. C., and Manuel, A. H. (2022). “The Unintended Consequences of Confinement: Evidence from the Rural Area in Guatemala”. Journal of Economic Psychology.
[15]	Keniyo, R. L. (2021). Impacts of COVID-19 on Agricultural and Food Systems in Kenya.
[16]	Kinuthia, K. M., & Susanti, E. (2021). COVID-19 Containment Measures of the Government of Kenya: Impact on Food Security and Farmers’ Socio-economic Life.
[17]	Lokuruka, M. N. I. (2020a). An Overview of Food and Nutrition Security Situation of Kenya. Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences Research (JFNSR), Volume 2 (1), pp. 112-129.
[18]	Lokuruka, M. N. I. (2020b). Food and Nutrition Security in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania): Status, Challenges and Prospects. In Book: Food Security in Africa [Working Title]. London Intech Open Publishers.
[19]	Lokuruka, M. N. I. (2002). Quality and Food Safety Assurance in the Fish Industry, Amu Press, Nakuru, Kenya.
[20]	Meyer, S. (2020). “Combatting Ecommerce Supply Chain Disruptions and Steps You Can Take to Minimize Impact”. Big Commerce.
[21]	Moseley, W. G., and Battersby, J. (2020). The Vulnerability and Resilience of African Food Systems, Food Security and Nutrition in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic. African Studies Review, Volume 63, Issue 3, pp. 449-461. Cambridge University Press.
[22]	Muthoni, J., and Nyamongo, D. O. (2008). Seed Systems in Kenya and Their Relationship to On-Farm Conservation of Food Crops. Journal of New Seeds, Vol. 9 (4) pp. 330-342.
[23]	Munyi, P., and Jonge, D. B. (2015). Seed Systems Support in Kenya: Consideration for an Integrated Seed Sector Development Approach. Journal of Sustainable Development; Vol. 8, No. 2. Canadian Center of Science and Education.
[24]	OECD. (2020). Food Supply Chains and COVID-19: Impacts and Policy Lessons.
[25]	Onsomu, E., Munga, B., and Nyabaro, V. (2021). The Impact of COVID-19 on Industries without Smokestacks in Kenya: The Case of Horticulture, ICT and Tourism Sectors. AGI Working Paper No. 35. Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings.
[26]	Oulu, M. (2021). What Ails Kenya’s Food System? A Policy Perspective. Food Law and Politics. Route to Food.
[27]	Pinchoff, J., Austrian, K., Rajshekhar, N., Abuya, T., Kangwana, B., Ochako, R., Tidwell, J. B., Mwanga, D., Muluve, E., Mbushi, F., Nzioki, M., Ngo, D. T. (2021). Gendered Economic, Social and Health Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Mitigation Policies in Kenya: Evidence from a Prospective Cohort Survey in Nairobi Informal Settlements. BMJ Global Health.
[28]	Republic of Kenya (2010). The Constitution of Kenya. National Council for Law Reporting, Nairobi.
[29]	Salma, H. Z., Rahimi, A. R., Muhammad, A. F., and Liyana, M. Y. (2022). “Government Pandemic Response Strategies for AEC Enterprises: Lessons from COVID-19”. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology.
[30]	Saugat, K., Padam, B. P., Jeevan, L., and Alagathurai, A. (2020). Food Supply Chain Disruptions and Resilience under the Stress of COVID-19: Evidence from Nepal. Acta Scientific Agriculture, Volume 4, Issue 7, pp. 158-166.
[31]	Swinnen, J., and Vos, R. (2021). COVID-19 and Impacts on Global Food Systems and Household Welfare: Introduction to a Special Issue. Agricultural Economics (United Kingdom), 52 (3).
[32]	Tarek, B. H., and Hamid, E. B. (2022). “Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Security and Food Consumption: Preliminary Insights from the Gulf Cooperation Council Region”. Cogent Social S.
[33]	The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report, 2020.
[34]	The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report, 2021.
[35]	The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report, 2022.
[36]	United Nations (2020). “Policy Brief: The impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition”.
[37]	Workie, E., Mackolil, J., Nyika, J., and Ramadas, S. (2020). Deciphering the Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Security, Agriculture and Livelihood: A Review of the Evidence from Developing Countries. Science Direct, Vol. 2, Elsevier B V.
[38]	Xu, Z., Elomri, A., Kerbache, L., and Omri, E. A. (2020). COVID-19s Impacts on Global Supply Chains: Facts and Perspectives. IEEE Engineering Management Review.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

John Lokuruka Napoo, Simeon Pharis Ndwiga, Victor Musi Musitia. (2023). Decrypting the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya. Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 11(1), 24-29. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14

Copy | Download

ACS Style

John Lokuruka Napoo; Simeon Pharis Ndwiga; Victor Musi Musitia. Decrypting the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya. J. Food Nutr. Sci. 2023, 11(1), 24-29. doi: 10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14

Copy | Download

AMA Style

John Lokuruka Napoo, Simeon Pharis Ndwiga, Victor Musi Musitia. Decrypting the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya. J Food Nutr Sci. 2023;11(1):24-29. doi: 10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14,
  author = {John Lokuruka Napoo and Simeon Pharis Ndwiga and Victor Musi Musitia},
  title = {Decrypting the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya},
  journal = {Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences},
  volume = {11},
  number = {1},
  pages = {24-29},
  doi = {10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jfns.20231101.14},
  abstract = {Globally, there has been tremendous effort towards ending hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by the year 2030. These efforts have not realized the desired results due to conflicts within and without countries, climate variability and extremes, and economic slowdowns and downturns. In Kenya, food and nutrition insecurity existed even before the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic. With the occurrence of the pandemic, food systems and food supply chains relied upon by the population to access sufficient and affordable food of high nutritional value further worsened the already unfavorable situation. The gradual shocks and interruptions on food systems and food supply chains by the climate change, high poverty levels, income inequality, high cost of healthy diets, labor shortages coupled with global recession and pandemic containment measures required urgent attention and timely interventions to protect the vulnerable population. This view point paper provides an insight of the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security, and the trends affecting food systems. The paper adopted descriptive approach which utilized an array of contemporary scholarly views and their research outputs on food and nutrition security which resonated with the Kenyan situation. The study findings emphasized on the need to adopt a multidisciplinary and multifaceted approach when addressing food and nutrition security even at the time of a pandemic in order to achieve the intent for the realization of the right to food of high nutritional value. The study revealed that Kenya should adopt diverse strategies for enhancing food and nutrition security, thus including crop diversification, crop bio-fortification, research on genomics and precision breeding, agroecology technique application, capacity building of extension workers, investing in climate smart agriculture and adoption of human centered design model to enhance resilient food systems. The findings will be vital to policy and decision-makers responsible for food and nutrition security.},
 year = {2023}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Decrypting the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya
AU  - John Lokuruka Napoo
AU  - Simeon Pharis Ndwiga
AU  - Victor Musi Musitia
Y1  - 2023/03/09
PY  - 2023
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14
T2  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
JF  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
JO  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
SP  - 24
EP  - 29
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7293
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14
AB  - Globally, there has been tremendous effort towards ending hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by the year 2030. These efforts have not realized the desired results due to conflicts within and without countries, climate variability and extremes, and economic slowdowns and downturns. In Kenya, food and nutrition insecurity existed even before the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic. With the occurrence of the pandemic, food systems and food supply chains relied upon by the population to access sufficient and affordable food of high nutritional value further worsened the already unfavorable situation. The gradual shocks and interruptions on food systems and food supply chains by the climate change, high poverty levels, income inequality, high cost of healthy diets, labor shortages coupled with global recession and pandemic containment measures required urgent attention and timely interventions to protect the vulnerable population. This view point paper provides an insight of the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security, and the trends affecting food systems. The paper adopted descriptive approach which utilized an array of contemporary scholarly views and their research outputs on food and nutrition security which resonated with the Kenyan situation. The study findings emphasized on the need to adopt a multidisciplinary and multifaceted approach when addressing food and nutrition security even at the time of a pandemic in order to achieve the intent for the realization of the right to food of high nutritional value. The study revealed that Kenya should adopt diverse strategies for enhancing food and nutrition security, thus including crop diversification, crop bio-fortification, research on genomics and precision breeding, agroecology technique application, capacity building of extension workers, investing in climate smart agriculture and adoption of human centered design model to enhance resilient food systems. The findings will be vital to policy and decision-makers responsible for food and nutrition security.
VL  - 11
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

John Lokuruka Napoo

Learning and Development, Kenya School of Government, Nairobi, Kenya
Simeon Pharis Ndwiga

Learning and Development, Kenya School of Government, Nairobi, Kenya
Victor Musi Musitia

Learning and Development, Kenya School of Government, Nairobi, Kenya

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

John Lokuruka Napoo, Simeon Pharis Ndwiga, Victor Musi Musitia. (2023). Decrypting the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya. Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 11(1), 24-29. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14

Copy | Download

ACS Style

John Lokuruka Napoo; Simeon Pharis Ndwiga; Victor Musi Musitia. Decrypting the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya. J. Food Nutr. Sci. 2023, 11(1), 24-29. doi: 10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14

Copy | Download

AMA Style

John Lokuruka Napoo, Simeon Pharis Ndwiga, Victor Musi Musitia. Decrypting the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya. J Food Nutr Sci. 2023;11(1):24-29. doi: 10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14,
  author = {John Lokuruka Napoo and Simeon Pharis Ndwiga and Victor Musi Musitia},
  title = {Decrypting the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya},
  journal = {Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences},
  volume = {11},
  number = {1},
  pages = {24-29},
  doi = {10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jfns.20231101.14},
  abstract = {Globally, there has been tremendous effort towards ending hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by the year 2030. These efforts have not realized the desired results due to conflicts within and without countries, climate variability and extremes, and economic slowdowns and downturns. In Kenya, food and nutrition insecurity existed even before the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic. With the occurrence of the pandemic, food systems and food supply chains relied upon by the population to access sufficient and affordable food of high nutritional value further worsened the already unfavorable situation. The gradual shocks and interruptions on food systems and food supply chains by the climate change, high poverty levels, income inequality, high cost of healthy diets, labor shortages coupled with global recession and pandemic containment measures required urgent attention and timely interventions to protect the vulnerable population. This view point paper provides an insight of the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security, and the trends affecting food systems. The paper adopted descriptive approach which utilized an array of contemporary scholarly views and their research outputs on food and nutrition security which resonated with the Kenyan situation. The study findings emphasized on the need to adopt a multidisciplinary and multifaceted approach when addressing food and nutrition security even at the time of a pandemic in order to achieve the intent for the realization of the right to food of high nutritional value. The study revealed that Kenya should adopt diverse strategies for enhancing food and nutrition security, thus including crop diversification, crop bio-fortification, research on genomics and precision breeding, agroecology technique application, capacity building of extension workers, investing in climate smart agriculture and adoption of human centered design model to enhance resilient food systems. The findings will be vital to policy and decision-makers responsible for food and nutrition security.},
 year = {2023}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Decrypting the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya
AU  - John Lokuruka Napoo
AU  - Simeon Pharis Ndwiga
AU  - Victor Musi Musitia
Y1  - 2023/03/09
PY  - 2023
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14
T2  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
JF  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
JO  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
SP  - 24
EP  - 29
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7293
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20231101.14
AB  - Globally, there has been tremendous effort towards ending hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by the year 2030. These efforts have not realized the desired results due to conflicts within and without countries, climate variability and extremes, and economic slowdowns and downturns. In Kenya, food and nutrition insecurity existed even before the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic. With the occurrence of the pandemic, food systems and food supply chains relied upon by the population to access sufficient and affordable food of high nutritional value further worsened the already unfavorable situation. The gradual shocks and interruptions on food systems and food supply chains by the climate change, high poverty levels, income inequality, high cost of healthy diets, labor shortages coupled with global recession and pandemic containment measures required urgent attention and timely interventions to protect the vulnerable population. This view point paper provides an insight of the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security, and the trends affecting food systems. The paper adopted descriptive approach which utilized an array of contemporary scholarly views and their research outputs on food and nutrition security which resonated with the Kenyan situation. The study findings emphasized on the need to adopt a multidisciplinary and multifaceted approach when addressing food and nutrition security even at the time of a pandemic in order to achieve the intent for the realization of the right to food of high nutritional value. The study revealed that Kenya should adopt diverse strategies for enhancing food and nutrition security, thus including crop diversification, crop bio-fortification, research on genomics and precision breeding, agroecology technique application, capacity building of extension workers, investing in climate smart agriculture and adoption of human centered design model to enhance resilient food systems. The findings will be vital to policy and decision-makers responsible for food and nutrition security.
VL  - 11
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download