Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged global financial institutions to enhance agricultural investments as part of their assistance to African economies.
The president urged financial institutions to support innovation and mechanisms that help eliminate risks and losses in Africa’s agricultural sector in a pre-recorded video statement delivered Thursday evening during the virtual inaugural United Nations (UN) Food Systems Summit held on the margins of the UN General Assembly.
According to a statement issued by the Kenyan presidency on Friday, Kenyatta said Kenya is accelerating ecosystem restoration through agroforestry, reforestation and sustainable utilization of natural resources.
As part of Kenya’s commitment to investing in sustainable and resilient food systems, the president said, his administration has developed a food systems call to action that is data-driven, inclusive and innovative.
The Kenyan government is determined to fully re-engage the youth in food production to ignite their passion for agriculture, Kenyatta said.
“We are also increasing access to nutritious foods and diversifying the diets by bringing back forgotten and neglected traditional foods, investing in fisheries, aquaculture, livestock, fruits, and vegetable farming,” he said.
Kenyatta said the government has harnessed the power of innovation and digital technologies in agriculture as well as fostering an environment that allows innovators to contribute to agricultural transformation.
“Using mobile technologies, we are equipping our farmers with information on markets and also inputs. We will further use these apps in the deployment of extension services across our country,” he said.
