Kenya can comfortably feed more
than seven million people every year, inject Sh36 billion back into the economy, and
cut over seven million tonnes of carbon emissions if it reduces food loss and
waste by 50 per cent by 2030.
The latest report by World
Resources Institute (WRI) Africa shows that the country loses up to 40 per cent of the food it produces each year—around nine
million worth Sh72 billion —even as one in four citizens struggles daily
to find enough to eat.
According to the report, the
amount of food that goes to waste is enough to fill approximately 500 million
18-tonne trucks.
The study offers the most
comprehensive analysis to date.
It maps the scale, the hotspots
and drivers of food loss and food waste, while outlining solutions that could
improve food security, farmer livelihoods and climate resilience.
Major losses cut across staple
and high-value foods, forcing the country to rely on costly imports, triggering
high food inflation, a top concern amongst citizens who now believe that the
country is headed in the wrong direction.
According to the Voice of the
People Poll released early last week by Infotrack, 57 per cent of the
population is pessimistic about the country’s social economy, with the high
cost of living topping reasons for the verdict at 66 per cent.
Infotrack’s report shows that the
high cost of living is a near-universal and worsening reality, with 79 per cent
of Kenyans feeling it is higher than a year ago ,while 70 per cent rate it as
high or very high.
Yet, Kenya loses up to 36 per
cent of maize, up to 56 per cent of fresh fruits (17−56 per cent mango,
followed by avocado (15−35 per cent) and banana (7−11), 23 per cent of
potatoes, and 34 per cent of fish before they reach consumers, fuelling food
shortages, undermining farmer livelihoods, and straining natural
resources.
The report highlights a
significant data gap in food loss and waste in Kenya, underscoring the urgent
need for standardized measurement systems.
Without reliable data, it is
impossible to set meaningful targets, design effective interventions, or
accurately track progress.
“For ordinary Kenyans, food loss
and waste may seem like a distant issue – largely due to limited awareness of
its scale and impact. Yet, its consequences are deeply felt across society,’’
the report reads.
The survey shows that losses of
staples like maize in storage undermine the government’s efforts to ensure
national security, while for businesses, losses arising from inefficient supply
chains mean reduced profits and lost opportunities.
Consequences are even tougher for
smallholder farmers since food losses directly affect yields, incomes and sometimes daily survival.
Additionally, for consumers,
reducing food losses can lead to more affordable maize flour, fresher fruits
and fish in local markets, and a greater share of income remaining in the hands of farmers.
“It also eases pressure on land
and water, helps stabilize prices, and builds resilience against climate
shocks.”
Globally, the world is off track
to meet the SDG 12.3 target of halving food waste and reducing food loss by
2030.
Although Kenya has pledged to act,
it faces significant challenges: weak monitoring systems, insufficient
financing, and fragmented coordination.
While some counties are beginning
to domesticate the strategy by localizing it with action plans,
stronger national momentum is still needed.
The report recommends enhanced
data monitoring to build a robust system to identify where the losses are
happening to target actions, scaling of proven technologies and innovations, including hermetic storage, cold chains, farmer training, and food donation
programmes.
It also calls for enhanced policy
implementation and stronger value chain coordination to accelerate the rollout
of national and county-level strategies, improve coordination across sectors,
and create incentives for action.
“We are tackling this challenge head-on through the ‘Target-Measure-Act’ approach and partnerships with government, business, and development actors,” said Susan Chomba, director, Food, Land and Water at WRI Africa.
“By providing reliable data, strengthening policies, mobilising finance, and fostering entrepreneurship, we are turning food loss and waste into food security, green jobs, and climate resilience across Kenya and the region.”
The report holds that, with just five years left to deliver on
SDG 12.3, turning commitments into results is urgent.
By investing in consistent,
high-quality data, scaling proven technologies, and enforcing clear policies and
actions – including food recovery and redistribution – Kenya can turn the tide
on food loss and waste reduction.
This, the report says, will earn the
country the triple dividend of saving money, feeding more people, and reducing
emissions.
“Acting now could feed millions,
save billions, and cut emissions—unlocking a win for people, nature, and
climate. But this requires bold coordinated action.”
