SUNCSA Kenya Annual Progress Report

Despite facing severe drought over the past year, progress has been made towards establishing high-level nutrition multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) at both national and county levels. There are plans to appoint SUN focal points to support activities at the county level. However, to ensure the rolling-out of MSP structures, there is a need for continued advocacy for the endorsement of the Food and Nutrition Security Bill (FNSB) and the finalisation of the Food and Nutrition Security Policy (FNSP) Implementation Framework. The engage­ment of specialised stakeholders such as human rights groups and private sector alliances has increased, especially at the county level.

In the past year, several nutrition-spe­cific and sensitive policies and guide­lines have been developed and reviewed through consultative processes. For example, the current reviewing of the National Nutrition Action Plan (NNAP) 2012-2017 will contribute to the develop­ment of the NNAP for 2018-2022. Aside from ongoing advocacy and support to the FNSB, the FNSP Implementation Framework, the 2016 Health Bill, and a revised Agriculture Sector Develop­ment Strategy, is underway. Regulations for the Breast-milk Substitutes Act 2012 have been developed and will go through parliament. Furthermore, guidelines for nutrition champions on how to engage with parliamentarians have been devel­oped. Awareness-raising of a group of parliamentarians on nutrition has taken place, furthering the agenda in various parliamentary committees.

The NNAP 2012-2017 is the common results framework (CRF) for the govern­ment and partners. However, the FNSP Implementation Framework is being developed to become the new CRF. Progress has been made in assessing the capacity to implement and achieve the goals of the current NNAP. A capacity development framework and assessment tools for nutrition have been developed, which will contribute to CRF implemen­tation. Capacity assessments have been undertaken in eight counties. A landscape analysis has been completed to identify potential areas of collaboration with the private sectors.

A nutrition costing tool is in place, and is used to provide cost estimates for nutri­tion-related actions. To enhance finan­cial tracking on nutrition, a tool has been developed, and cost-benefit and nutrition financial tracking analyses analysis have been completed, with the latter having taken place at the national level and in six counties so far. The financial tracking tool will be useful to monitor allocations for nutrition-sensitive interventions. A reduction in funding for nutrition has been seen, although emergency response funding has improved.