E-course FST blog: the footbridge that got me started on systems thinking!

There is a beautiful structure, a footbridge along Langata Road in Nairobi near Nyayo Stadium. The structure has water gutters collecting rainwater, unfortunately the water drains into the trenches. When I noticed the water being drained from the footbridge, I remembered that the Kenya meteorological department has predicted less that average rainfall. Consequently, the governor of Nairobi announced that water rationing could become a possibility if indeed sufficient rain is not experienced. With the e-course on food systems transformation fresh in my mind, I started thinking about the transformation of the water supply system. 

System thinking calls for connecting of different functions and knots relating to certain development aspect in this case our future water supply. We cannot let water flow into waste. Tapping and conserving this water is necessary and important. What if the contractor was asked to include water conservation facilities? For this to happen, the Ministry of Water and that of Transport and Infrastructure must work together. Imagine, that water conserved from this footbridge can be metered and used by the proximate hospital. This would mean the involvement of the Ministry of Health. The potential of systemic transformation is huge. Imagine if all government buildings and public infrastructure would harvest rainwater, we can have enough for the city and channel water to develop irrigated agriculture in neighboring county of Kajiado Machakos and Makueni.

The government should start interrogating these connections in order to improve Kenya's economic fortunes. But this would require that we take into consideration food system governance. Governance defined as the involvement of both government, private sector and the market. All actors in these spaces have a critical role to play in making such initiatives and programs successful and sustainable. In a systems approach, the government would offer safe legal space with proper and innovative agri-food policies. This would include investing in development of supportive infrastructure such as roads, providing affordable energy, creating awareness and capacity building. With favourable public policy and infrastructure, then private sector will invest in development of enterprises. In the case of the bridge, water tapped from these public infrastructure could be offered to private individuals to process and sell, thereby offering employment opportunities. Since the market is made up of people, processed water would ensure accessibility of clean and safe water for drinking. 

The Food system Transformation Course by Wageningen University & Research and Netherlands Food Partnership opened the scope of my thinking of what it means to think holistically. For this reason, I am always grateful and happy to being part of those working towards entrenching system thinking in the food system policy space.