CHANGE YOUR EATING HABIT

William Ruto Agriculture Minister, has called Kenyans to change their eating habit by embracing tradational food.

" Kenyans do not find tradational foods such as sweetpotatoes, arrowroots and cassava juicy...their prefer chips," Said Mr Ruto in Citizen Television interview yesterday.

He said that the citizens need to set their mindset on the tradational food instead of depending on maize only.

Majority of Kenyans prefer eating ugali/posho. The current drought has affected the growth of maize which is gridded to produce maize floor for preparing Ugali. The meal is common in every homestead in Kenya.

However, following a long spell of drought some have found it hard to meet even a single meal a day.

Dr. Naomi Shabaan, Special Programme Minister Speaking on the same show, said that the situation is getting worse in the ground. she said that regions which used to be relief dependence free are now in dire need of relief.

" People are farming for the sake of farming...," She said.

The government has mobilised security agencies to transport the relief food to the affected areas. Which is then distributed by the District streering committee on relief.

Dr. Shabaan said that for people living in urban areas will be given their relief in the means of voucher.She said that their are working closely with District committee at wards level to identify the needy before issuing the food voucher.

The current problem has been blamed on poor governance.

" Let me state without pointing fingers that we have serious governance issue,...its shame that after 40-years of independence we cant support ourselves," said the Agriculture Minister.

He blamed the way agriculture fund allocation is done by the treasury.

He said that the biggest challenge is to make agriculture profitable to attract even the youth.

Speaking at the same occassion John Mutunga, who represented Farmers said that the government should invest more on agriculture by subsidizing the cost of inputs and invest in information, communication and technology.

He warned that if things do not change the way their are, the situation will be catastrophic; especially where young people are abandoning farming as a professional.
" For the next 20-years we will be importing agriculture experts," He said.