TV Reality Show

Promoting healthy and drought tolerant Smart Food

- Mohd Mustaquim

In the wake of a severe drought in Kenya which has affected 2.7 million people very badly, International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) as a leading partner has launched a 13-episode Smart Food Reality TV Show to popularise healthy and drought tolerant foods in the African country. This is a result of a collaboration between scientists and media.

Promoting the health benefits of drought resilient crops could be one answer to the Kenya’s devastating drought situation. This year 2.7 million people are affected according to the International Red Cross which the Kenyan government has declared a national disaster. Droughts have become an annual problem in Kenya and a more sustainable way of living will benefit both farmers and the general population. Crops such as millets, sorghum and legumes are highly drought resilient while also being highly nutritious, which will help combat malnutrition among children and the most vulnerable in society.

The Smart Food is an initiative of the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), an implementing partner of the 'Feed the Future Kenya Accelerated Value Chain Development' Program funded by US Government’s global hunger and food security initiative, 'Feed the Future' through the support of United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“Smart Food is the smart way for the future and our aim is to take this awareness campaign to a global audience. Crops such as millets and sorghum can tolerate higher temperatures and use a lot less water. So these crops are usually the last ones standing during times of drought. We need consumers to realise their benefit, go out and buy more of them, so farmers can confidently grow more and earn sustainably. It’s a win-win situation,” said, David Bergvinson, Director General of ICRISAT.