The Egg: Paying tribute to an unsung hero

 ‘Versatile’ is a word used to describe something, or someone, that can easily adapt to many different functions or activities. An egg is, without a doubt, the gastronomic equivalent. From cheap, fast snacks that you can get, served hot at a cart on the street, to a key ingredient in Michelin-starred dishes made by the most decorated of cuisiniers.

Eggs are the humble jack-of-all-trades, performing myriad culinary functions — from glazing to garnishing, thickening, leavening and binding — without breaking the bank, or being too far away from arm’s reach.

Today, World Egg Day, is a celebration of this protein-packed seed, little capsule of nutrition, that enhances many a breakfast — nay, meal — across the globe.

In Kenya, the day is being marked by poulty product giant Kenchic at the informal Mukuru neighbourhood of Nairobi. There, they will supplement their learning, medical and social services by making a delicious breakfast for children. No prizes for guessing, eggs will be the centerpiece of the breakfast.

Eating eggs

The children will also be taught about the benefits of eating eggs and learn the many different ways of cooking them.

But all is not well in the egg and poultry supply chain. The first, and most obvious reason for this is Covid-19. For the best part of the past six months, schools, restaurants, hotels and bakeries, which make the major clientele for egg farmers, were closed or limping.

Poultry farmers that rear layer birds have had it especially challenging because, unlike their broiler counterparts, who may have the option to shed their stock birds for food, that is not available to them. In addition, these birds need to be fed and watered — an expensive endeavour — regardless of whether their eggs are sold or not.

Another, more unfair hurdle for local poultry farmers is competition from even cheaper egg imports. It is baffling that, while farmers have been forced to cut prices to unprecedented lows, the government would still allow the market to be flooded with cheaper foreign products.

The Federation of Kenya Poultry Farmers has, time and again, urged the government to ban egg and chicken meat imports to cushion local farmers. By the stroke of a pen, it can alleviate many of the problems that local poultry farmers face.

Today, as the International Egg Commission leads the commemoration, it would mean a great deal to Kenyan poultry farmers if President Kenyatta mitigated the unchecked influx of foreign eggs.

This, coupled with the gradual reopening of the economy, will not only aid the country’s recovery from the vagaries of Covid-19, but also give local poultry farmers a chance to make ends meet.

 Nelson Wanjala, via email