At least 5 million of 38 million Kenyans live in urban slums. Food insecurity rages [PDF] through the country, resulting in public outcry and economic upheaval.
Earlier this year, contested elections in Kenya triggered ethnic violence, killing 1,500 people. Approximately 600,000 people fled their homes and farmers abandoned their land. In turn, farmers planted fewer crops and the price of food in Kenya increased by 50 percent.
Last spring, police in Nairobi fired tear gas at hundreds of Kenyans protesting soaring food costs. The Kenyan government appealed for $74 million to address the food crisis and embraced genetically modified foods.
Kenya has also been hurt by forces beyond its control. Worldwide, wheat and corn prices have doubled in the last few years and the price of rice has tripled. The reasons for this phenomenon include higher fuel prices, drought and the increasing use of crops like corn to make biofuels.
Read thoughts from bloggers who are trying to find answers to the Kenyan food crisis.
Worldfocus correspondent Martin Seemungal and producer Yuval Lion report about the unrelenting food crisis in Kenya.
07/04/2009 :: 12:39:52 AM
Ali Dahir Says:
African dependence on food aid should be stopped and they should invest on education and start creating jobs for the upcoming and promissing young generations.