Vegetable preservation should be part of conversations on food security

Members of Kithingati Self Help Group in Mwingi West, Kitui county dry green vegetables in a solar drier for future use. [Philip Muasya, Standard]

Food security remains one of the crucial areas which Kenya is grappling with. Hidden hunger is very prevalent owing to many underlying challenges around food and dietary needs of the population. Hidden hunger is a form of undernutrition that occurs when intake and absorption of vitamins and minerals (such as zinc, iodine, and iron) are too low to sustain good health and development. Vegetable intake plays a critical role in human health and should be an unavoidable companion in diet.

Kenya, like many other African countries, relies on maize, rice and wheat as primary sources of calorie-dense food which is more often accompanied by vegetables to complete a meal cycle. However, access to sufficient, nutritious and affordable vegetables is not a guarantee for most families. Apparently, sub-Saharan Africa is the lowest in regard to vegetable consumption on a global scale due to insufficient supplies.