President-elect William Ruto Meets World Food Programme Boss over Drought Situation in Northern Kenya
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The two met on Saturday, August 20, at the deputy president’s Karen residence to discuss the drought issue that is affecting Northern Kenya
According to the president-elect, plans to have farmers get access to credit will provide a long-term solution to the issue.
President-Elect William Ruto, on Saturday, August 19, met with the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, to discuss ways of helping farmers through subsidy programs.
Ruto made the revelations on his social media accounts, adding that plans to have farmers access to credit will provide a long-term solution to the issue.
Held talks with the Executive Director of the World Food Programme Mr. David Beasley, regarding the drought situation in Northern Kenya and the Horn of Africa region,” he wrote. “Our plan to support farmers through a subsidy program and access to credit will provide a long-term solution to this issue. Karen, Nairobi County,” added the DP.
During campaigns, Ruto dismissed comments by his boss that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was partly to blame for higher living costs, vowing to boost farming if he won the presidency. Ruto pledges to invest in agriculture Ruto pledged to invest at least KSh 500 billion shillings in agriculture and small businesses over five years. That investment would include providing animal feed and seeds to boost yields. Farming stood out in Ruto’s manifesto as a significant part of his so-called Bottom-Up economic model — where he seeks to channel government resources to sectors that can create the most jobs.
The answer to addressing the cost of living is increasing agricultural productivity, period,” Ruto said at a rally at the Kasarani Stadium. “This whole story about Ukraine and all this is a lost cause,” he added. Ruto’s remarks on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine come weeks after President Uhuru Kenyatta blamed the rising cost of living on factors including those he said are out of his control. “If we had not withdrawn the fertilizer subsidy” and “stuck to the plan on food security,” Ruto said, “we wouldn’t be in the crisis we are in today.”
