Ms Tipo with the FAO Kenya staff

FAO Representative in Tanzania Dr. Nyabenyi Tipo is currently the FAO Representative ad interim in Kenya effective 16^th May 2024 pending the arrival of the new FAO Representative. This followed the transfer of the former FAO Kenya Representative Ambassador Carla Mucavi to Botswana.  Tipo made her first visit to Kenya in June from 18^th to 22^nd June 2024 in her capacity as the FAO Kenya Representative ad interim.  

During her visit she held discussion with several senior government officials and reiterated FAO’s commitment to ensuring food security through agrifood transformation in collaboration with the Government of Kenya. In her meeting with the FAO Kenya staff; she lauded the staff for tremendous efforts made towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals number one and two No Poverty and Zero Hunger Respectively and in the implementation of the Country Programming Framework. She reiterated the importance of working as a team to successfully achieve FAO’s goals. The meeting was attended by the Resilience Team for East Africa (RTEA) and the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD).

During her visit, Ms. Tipo together with other UN partnering agencies namely UNICEF, ILO and WFP attended a meeting convened to facilitate signing of the UN joint program on child protection and social protection. The signing took place at the PS Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs Joseph Montari’s Boardroom. The goal of the project is to support the government to expand social protection coverage to the poor and vulnerable people including those in the agrifood systems.

Accompanied by the Assistant FAO Representative Programmes Hamisi Williams; Ms Tipo held bilateral talks with the Principal Secretary for Crop Development Dr. Paul Rono. The PS acknowledged FAO’s support in many projects and programmes being implemented in collaboration with the government. He pointed out the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS) which is currently being used to register farmers and will later be used in the distribution of agricultural inputs through the government subsidy program.

Tipo also held a meeting with the Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Eng. Festus Ngeno and his Counterpart Mr. Gitonga Mugambi the PS for Forestry. They discussed the implementation of GEF and GCF Projects in Kenya. She informed them that FAO will work with the Ministry of Environment Climate Change and Forestry in the roll out of various environmental conservation projects among them the restoration of Mt. Elgon which will be launched soon.

Ms. Tipo had a breakfast Meeting with Dr. Stephen Jackson, UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya. During the meeting Dr. Stephen welcomed Tipo to Kenya and briefed her on the milestones covered by UN in Kenya.

In a meeting with Presidential Economic Team Secretariat and Office of Head of Public Service on Government’s Agenda. The team presented the work they are doing on the establishment of Feedlots and how this can be linked to FAOs Hand in Hand Initiative currently being implemented collaboratively.

In a courtesy call to the Swedish Ambassador to Kenya H.E Caroline Vicini; Ms Tipo was introduced to the collaboration between the Embassy and Kenya. The discussions dwelt mainly on the KIAMIS platform which the embassy has been on the forefront in funding its development and implementation.

To get a feel of the field projects, Ms. Tipo visited Kajiado County. She held a meeting with the Deputy Governor Kajiado County Hon, Martin Moshisho.  The Deputy Governor acknowledged FAO for playing an instrumental role in the development and implementation of the County Spatial Plan, Land Policy, Integrated Development Plans and acquisition of GIS equipment.

FAO in collaboration with the Judiciary and the County Government of Kajiado supported the establishment of the Alternative Justice System, which has helped to resolve nearly 300 land disputes since 2021. To get a testimony from a beneficiary Ms. Tipo visited Kumpa Village in Kajiado and listened to a story from Emily Leshinka who struggled for 30 years to get back her land. With the help of Alternative Justice System, she managed to get it back and get legal ownership documents.

Dr. Nyabenyi Tipo has over 30 years of development experience. She holds a master’s degree in veterinary Epidemiology and Economics from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Veterinary Science from Khartoum University.

In 2016, she was appointed FAO Country Representative in Sierra Leone, where she supported government counterparts in their efforts to improve food and nutrition security for Sierra Leone to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030. Prior to joining FAO, Dr. Tipo was the Country Director for African Development Solutions, where she designed and implemented a multi-million-dollar recovery programme for South Sudan's returned population.

From 2007 to 2011, she worked as a technical advisor for Veterinaries Sans Frontières Belgium, where she supported the South Sudan government in developing national livestock policies, disease control strategies, and establishing transboundary disease control protocols with neighboring countries.

For more information contact

Joseph Othieno

National Communications Specialist

FAO Kenya

Email: [email protected]