The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) has intensified efforts to promote climate-smart agriculture and healthy nutrition in pastoralist communities through the establishment of school farms and learning centres under the Communities of Policy and Practice (COPP) initiative.
This emerged during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting held at KALRO Headquarters in Nairobi, where partners reviewed the progress achieved during the pilot phase of the project aimed at transforming pastoralist food systems through school meals in Kenya. The meeting brought together school representatives, county government officials from Isiolo and Kajiado, development partners, researchers, and food systems experts to assess milestones, challenges, and opportunities for scaling the initiative.
The engagement was officially opened by Dr Evans Ilatsia, who highlighted the importance of strengthening school feeding programmes in arid and semi-arid regions. He noted that the initiative has the potential to not only improve children’s nutrition but also build resilience among communities facing the harsh impacts of climate change and food insecurity.
“School feeding initiatives are critical in supporting nutrition, education, and resilience in pastoralist communities. We are encouraged by the progress made so far and look forward to integrating a stronger livestock component in the next phase of implementation,” said Dr Ilatsia.
Stakeholders discussed the establishment of school gardens as climate-smart learning centres where students and surrounding communities can gain practical knowledge on sustainable farming methods. The gardens are expected to promote the cultivation of drought-resistant crops, water conservation practices, and diversified food production to improve dietary diversity in schools.
Participants also explored ways of introducing more nutritious foods into school menus while strengthening women and youth participation in sustainable food systems. According to the stakeholders, empowering local communities through knowledge-sharing and collaborative action is key to achieving long-term food security in pastoralist regions.
The meeting further emphasized the role of Communities of Practice (COPP) in building strong partnerships among schools, researchers, policymakers, and development organizations. Through these partnerships, communities are expected to share experiences, exchange innovative ideas, and collectively address challenges affecting food systems in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).
Among the key participants were Dr Samrat Singh and Dr Simon Omondi, who reiterated the need for collaborative approaches in promoting regenerative agriculture and resilient food systems.
“Building resilient food systems requires cooperation between communities, schools, researchers, and policymakers. The COPP initiative is creating an important platform for promoting healthy diets, regenerative practices, and sustainable livelihoods in pastoralist areas,” said Dr Singh.
During the discussions, participants also reviewed lessons learned from the pilot phase, including sustainability challenges and the need for increased investment in climate-smart agriculture technologies. Stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding successful interventions to benefit more schools and communities across the country.
The COPP initiative on transforming pastoralist food systems through school meals in Kenya is a collaborative project between KALRO and Imperial College London with support from International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
By: Samuel Mwangi
