World Food Programme is not only about food aid, it's so much more

The organization is also working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience, while delivering emergency food support.

Lauren Landis, the WFP's Country Director & Representative to Kenya, spoke to The Standard on February 7, 2023, about the organization's new country-specific plan.

The plan has two goals: saving lives affected by drought and changing lives. Landis emphasized the WFP's mission to create better lives for Kenyans, particularly by working closely with county governments and small-scale farmers.

In Kenya, the WFP is looking at 4.4 million livelihoods affected by food insecurity due to drought, including about a million children.

The organization is working closely with the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) to understand different situations and use a rating system to determine the most affected and vulnerable populations.

In addition to relief, the WFP has been providing beneficiaries with a cash-based transfer of about Sh6,500 per month for each household.

WFP Kenya Country Director - Lauren Landis and KTN News's Jesse Rogers

The WFP's Head of Innovation, Federico Naccarato, emphasised the need to find innovative solutions to amplify impact and reach more people with the same resources.

He explained that the organization uses processes and methodologies commonly used in the startup world, such as design thinking, co-creation, and the application of lean methodology, to minimize the use of resources when implementing projects and put the user at the center of any program.

Kenya is known to be the Silicon Savannah of the region, and to tap into this, WFP in partnership with KSG, KENIA and UNDP has set up innovation centers in Kenya's ASAL region. This, according to Federico is to direct innovation infrastructure towards issues like resilience building to amplify the impact of WFP's work.

Federico Naccarato - WFP Head of Innovation

Another example of the WFP's innovative approach is the use of hydroponics, a project aimed at including more healthy and nutritious diets for beneficiaries in areas where fresh foods cannot be grown or there is a lack in the supply chain. Also, the growing of animal fodder in arid areas which uses up to 95 per cent less water and up to 70 per cent less land compared to traditional methods.

In addition to these initiatives, the WFP runs hi-tech projects that help inform small-scale farmers of how they can optimize resources. In Kibera, the organization runs a project named EMPACT that connects food-insecure youth to the global digital economy, enabling them to build viable careers and better livelihoods.

WFP's approach to empowering communities using innovative and sustainable solutions has proven to be effective in achieving its mission. Additionally, partnering with stakeholders from both national and county governments, as well as the private sector, has been crucial in helping WFP succeed in its efforts.

By working together and utilizing innovative approaches, WFP is making significant strides towards ending hunger, achieving food security, and improving nutrition for vulnerable populations.