The month of September 2023  has been here and about gone…it is a month of new beginnings; among others, it is the birth month of the author of these article series.

Last month, we drew the attention of the readership to the current reality of a broken global food system: https://organicconsumersalliance.org/our-blog/192-is-it-not-time-to-mend-a-broken-global-food-system-the-evidence-is-piling.html

This month we share some of the approaches and strategies that constitute a paradigm shift, a solution to the broken food system: mainstreaming of Indigenous Foods as part of a sustainable food system: https://www.fao.org/3/ca2079en/CA2079EN.pdf

• To address the multiple crises that the world currently faces, namely; Climate emergency, Soil degradation and biodiversity loss, Food insecurity and hunger and the Burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), collectivley referred to as the ‘quadruple crises’

• Indigenous Foods, Indigenous Foods Value Chains and related Agri-food systems are one such approach that, if mainstreamed, upscaled and supported can significantly contribute to mitigating the intertwined and interconnected quadruple crises confronting humankind.

• It is towards providing a solution to the crises that a National Indigenous Food Dialogue Event was planned and executed on the 13^th and 14^th of September at the Windsor Golf and Country Hotel, Kenya; bringing together over 400 stakeholders for a two-day National Dialogue Conference. Summary of objectives and outcomes here, including the colourful indigenous foods cooked and served at the two day event. https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2023/09/not-a-poor-mans-cuisine-indigenous-foods-are-good-agronomists/

• Various stakeholders participated, including government, represented by Ministry of Agriculture, County Governments, Academia/Universities, Private Sector, Civil Society Organizations, Community Based Organizations and farmer groups: Other stakeholders included funding partners, Feed the Future (USAID), FAO, GAIN and RTI.
• Among the key issues raised and recommendations made was the need to mainstream Indigenous Foods and support related value chains as a strategy to mitigate climate change, mitigate biodiversity loss and soil degradation, increase access to nutrient dense, diverse local foods towards increasing food security (and sovereignty) while stalling the increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), for example, diabetes and cancers.

• Towards this end, under the thematic area of strengthening multi-sectoral collaboration and partnerships, the blog author, Dr. Peter Mokaya, made a presentation, based on a ‘system thinking approach’ which outlined the interlinkages and need for multiple sectors to work in tandem for the achievement of better quality of health for the soil, plants, animals and human wellbeing.
• Have a listen to the presentation here:

• Look out for the next article, next month.

• Thank you!