Food systems emissions in Kenya and their reduction potential

Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF)

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Abstract: According to the latest IPCC assessment, the global food system is responsible for 23 ? 42% of total net anthropogenic emissions. This share is expected to increase in the future, driven by the increasing needs of a growing population and by intentions, expressed in many global and national policy contexts, for progressive decarbonization of the whole global economy system. Therefore, without rapid and radical transformations in food systems, the Paris Agreement targets will remain out of reach. This document is a first brief description of the food system in Kenya in the context of land use, agricultural production, national food supply, diets and food systems emissions. It describes the emissions in Kenya?s food systems based on data available at FAO, and identifies possible pathways to address emission reductions and achieve lowemissions development for Kenya, by taking a food systems view. Following IPCC guidelines, data on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are generally collected and analysed sectorally, distinguishing four economic sectors, namely: (i) energy; (ii) industrial processes and product use (IPPU); (iii) agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU); and (iv) waste. Since the food system emissions span across all these sectors we still lack comprehensive data to describe the food system. Food systems comprise ?all the elements (environment, people, inputs, processes, infrastructures, institutions, etc.) and activities that relate to the production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption of food, and the outputs of these activities, including socioeconomic and environmental outcomes? (HLPE 2014). I.e., a food system does equate to AFOLU; it goes beyond land use in including the pre- and post-production elements of food production and consumption.