Food Security Update June 2010
Food security continues to strengthen across most of the country’s livelihood areas, particularly in the pastoral areas as well as in the critical ‘grain basket’ areas in the western and Rift Valley highlands after favorable and extended long rains. While food security prospects in the southeastern and coastal marginal agricultural lowlands have visibly improved, future prospects remain unclear because a substantial proportion of their short rains crop is likely to be lost due to aflatoxin infection, coupled with likely mediocre long rains crop output after significant areas reported below‐normal rains.
KFSSG Short Rains Assessment Report, 2009-2010
Sustained deterioration in food security after a succession of poor or failed seasons that began in 2007 has been reversed significantly, after improved short rains in many parts of the severely drought-affected pastoral and marginal agricultural areas. In addition, the October – December 2009 short rains extended into January and February 2010 in some drought-affected areas in the northwest and southeast.
News
Report on Aflatoxin contamination in maize.
- Aflatoxins are poisonous chemical compounds produced by certain fungi
- The effects of aflatoxins are acute symptoms of severe illness appearing very quickly. Longer term chronic or cumulative effects on health, including induction of cancers and Immune Deficiency
- Various food stuffs and animal feed are usually contaminated with aflatoxins.
- High risk commodities include maize, rice, nuts and pulses.
- Fungal development takes place before and after harvest and particularly when harvesting takes place under high humidity and warm weather conditions.
- This is exacerbated by improper drying, poor storage, exposure to moisture and insect damage/activity.