New initiative targets hunger and climate shocks in rural Kenya

Food insecurity continues to affect vulnerable communities in the country, with many families struggling to access sufficient and nutritious food.

According to the World Food Programme, 38.6 per cent of Kenyans live below the poverty line, with  29 per cent of children in rural areas stunted due to malnutrition.

The country’s population of at least 52.4 million is increasingly affected by climate change, with severe droughts often followed by heavy rains and flooding, which destroy homes, livelihoods and land.

Agriculture, which remains Kenya's main economic driver, is highly vulnerable to these climate shocks. Arid and semi-arid regions, which make up 80 per cent of the country’s land, are particularly affected.

Rural communities that depend on crops, 95 per cent of which are rain-fed, and livestock are especially exposed.

Inefficiencies in food systems, from production to distribution, contribute to high food prices and limited access to food, further worsening the crisis.

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Rapid population growth at a rate of 2.9 per cent a year also puts pressure on already strained food systems.

With this in mind, Federal Express Corporation has partnered with Feed the Children to launch the Growing Futures Alliance.

The initiative, which runs from January to April 2025, aims to equip families with tools for small-scale food production and essential nutrition support.

Around 1,800 children under five and their caregivers are expected to benefit.

FedEx staff in Kenya volunteered their time to pack and distribute food and gardening kits, fostering a hands-on approach to long-term food sustainability.

“FedEx is proud to work alongside Feed the Children to bring practical, lasting solutions to communities that need them most,” said Gregory Saffy, managing director for Sub-Saharan Africa.

“This initiative reflects our commitment to improving lives in the places where our team members live and work.”

Jacktone Otieno, interim country director at Feed the Children, said corporate partnerships are vital in tackling chronic hunger.

 “The support from FedEx allows us to go beyond emergency response. We are building resilience in communities by promoting self-sufficiency, and that’s the kind of impact that lasts.”

The Growing Futures Alliance follows last year’s Delivering Futures programme, which distributed over 1,800 school supply kits to Kenyan students, extending a growing collaboration between the two organisations focused on improving children’s well-being and strengthening communities.