Eric Kasina a Climate action and sustainability writer./PHOTO; Courtesy
As climate change, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity continue to strain global food systems, experts are calling for a deeper understanding of the real cost of food production.
Beyond market prices, food production carries environmental, social, and health impacts that are often overlooked in policy and public discourse.
To strengthen awareness of these issues in Kenya, Strathmore Business School recently hosted a communications training for journalists and communication professionals through the TEEBAgriFood initiative.
The programme seeks to equip media practitioners with the knowledge and tools needed to report more effectively on sustainable food systems.
The project is implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme in partnership with Strathmore University’s Natural Capital Hub and supported by the IKEA Foundation.
It aims to generate evidence that can guide policies toward more sustainable and resilient food systems.
Learning the Four Capitals and True Value Accounting
Participants at the training were introduced to the concept of the “four capitals”: human capital, social capital, produced capital, and natural capital.
The framework helps explain the broader value that supports food production beyond traditional economic measures.
Eric Kasina, a climate action and sustainability writer who attended the training, said the sessions highlighted the importance of natural capital in agriculture.
“I recently attended the TEEBAgriFood communications training, which introduced us to the concept of the four capitals: human, social, produced, and natural capital,” he said.
“The training placed particular emphasis on natural capital, which is often overlooked in discussions about food systems.”
Natural capital refers to resources provided by nature, including fertile soils, clean water, biodiversity, forests, and pollinators such as bees.
These resources play a critical role in agricultural productivity but are rarely reflected in the price of food or investment decisions.
During the training, participants explored the concept of True Value Accounting.
This approach examines the hidden environmental and social costs associated with food production that are often ignored in conventional agricultural assessments.
By highlighting these invisible costs, journalists can help farmers, policymakers, and other stakeholders better understand the long-term implications of agricultural practices.
Experts noted that some farming practices that appear economically efficient in the short term may create long-term environmental damage.
For instance, excessive reliance on chemical inputs can degrade soil health and harm pollinators, reducing productivity over time.
Integrating natural capital considerations into agricultural decision-making can encourage practices that are both environmentally sustainable and economically viable.
“Journalists have a responsibility to communicate these ideas clearly,” Kasina said.
“By doing so, we can help communities understand the value of regenerative farming and climate-smart agriculture, which support both food production and environmental protection.”
Strengthening Environmental Reporting in Kenya
The training also focused on strengthening the capacity of journalists to report on sustainable food systems and environmental issues.
Rosemary Okello-Orlale, Director of the Africa Media Hub at Strathmore Business School, said building media knowledge in this area is essential to improving public understanding of food systems transformation.
The Africa Media Hub, established in 2017, works with media professionals, academia, donors, and communities across Africa.
Its goal is to promote collaboration between the private sector, policymakers, media organisations, and local communities.
Okello-Orlale said the TEEBAgriFood initiative demonstrates the critical role that ecosystems play in supporting livelihoods and human well-being.
The project supports the initiative titled “True Value Accounting: Making the Economic Case for Food Systems Transformation in India and Kenya.”
Since 2024, Strathmore University’s Natural Capital Hub has been piloting the initiative in Kenya.
The programme evaluates the ecological and economic value of agri-food systems to generate evidence that can support more resilient and nutrition-sensitive food systems.
The initiative is currently being implemented in ten counties, including Nakuru, Narok, Kericho, Baringo, Bomet, and West Pokot.
The aim is to identify practical local solutions that can eventually be scaled nationally.
“Media plays a critical role,” Okello-Orlale said.
“This training represents Cohort One. It equips journalists with tools such as data storytelling, investigative journalism, and feature writing to communicate the importance of sustainable food systems and influence policies that support nature-positive agriculture.”
She added that the long-term goal is to build a network of journalists in Kenya who specialise in reporting on food systems.
Such a network could strengthen public dialogue and support the transition toward sustainable and nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
Advocating for Sustainable Food Systems
Professor Jacqueline McGlade, the TEEBAgriFood project lead, said Kenya has strong agricultural potential but continues to rely heavily on food imports.
“Imagine the difference if the money spent on imports went into the pockets of local farmers,” she said.
McGlade explained that True Value Accounting looks beyond market prices to consider the full value of natural resources such as land, water, biodiversity, and pollinators.
These resources are essential to food production but are often ignored in conventional economic assessments.
She also raised concerns about the environmental impact of inorganic fertilisers. According to McGlade, expanding the production and use of locally produced biofertilisers could help improve soil health while reducing pollution.
Such alternatives could also create jobs and generate new income opportunities within local communities.
McGlade urged journalists to highlight the connection between food production, climate change, and environmental sustainability.
She said the media has an important role in telling the stories of farmers who are already adopting sustainable agricultural practices.
“Kenya has fantastic farmers who know what they are doing. Their stories deserve to be told so people can see that sustainable farming is not just a theory. It is already happening on the ground,” she said.
Through initiatives such as TEEBAgriFood, journalists in Kenya are gaining the knowledge needed to translate complex environmental data and economic evidence into accessible stories.
By doing so, they can help inform public debate, influence policy decisions, and bring the true value of food systems into sharper focus.
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