Research Areas: Production Regions & Markets in Kenya

The Kenyan production areas investigated are located within the Central Province in the north of Nairobi. This province covers an area of 13,200 km², approximately 2.3%

of the total Kenyan landmass. The 1999 census¹⁶ counts about 3.7 million people, which is equivalent to 13.0% of the country’s total population. Central Province is characterized through (former) good agricultural conditions due to fertile young volcanic soils at suitable altitudes and a high population density of 282 persons/km².

However, it has to be taken into account that agricultural overuse led to degradation of soils through erosion resulting in decreased fertility (GoK, MoA 2007).

With regard to the poverty rate, Central Province is distinguished from other rural areas through better living standards. It ranks as the least poor province in Kenya.

Poverty¹⁷ is relatively modest with 31%, most districts falling below poverty rate of 30-40%. But still, there are over 1 million poor people in the province due to its high population (see tab. 16) (MoA 2007).

Table 16: Absolute and relative poor households and persons in Central Province per district.

District Households below poverty line 1999

Individuals below poverty line 1999

% population below poverty line 1999

Kiambu 44,330 225,117 20-30

Kirinyaga 26,742 138,307 30-40

Murang’a 19,839 105,387 30-40

Nyandarua 24,396 145,205 30-40

Nyeri 39,442 200,047 30-40

Thika 40,092 195,375 30-40

Maragua 21,205 117,389 30-40

TOTAL 216,047 1,126,826 31

(Source: modified after CBS 2001: 16)

16Population and Household Census (1999), Counting Our People for Development: Population Distribution by Administrative Areas and Urban Centres, Volume I, Republic of Kenya.

17 According to Participatory Poverty Assessment report of 2001 defined poverty “as the inability [for households and/ or individuals] to meet their basic needs including land, employment, food, shelter, education, health etc” cited from Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. Rural poverty line: consumption and expenditures valued at less than Kshs. 1,239 per adult equivalent per month

We concentrated our research on two of the seven Central Province districts, namely Kirinyaga and Nyeri (tab. 16). Kirinyaga plays an important role in Kenyan tomato production while Nyeri is the main area for onion cultivation in the Central Province.

Kirinyaga District, in the north-east of Central Province covers 1478 km² and exhibits a population density of 309 persons/ km². It ranges from areas of high altitude around the top of Mt. Kenya (5199 m) with annual precipitation of 1600 – 2200 mm to low midland areas of around 800 m with only little rainfall of 800 – 900 mm. Tea and coffee are the main cash crops grown on 97,500 ha arable land, though in the lower midlands irrigated rice predominates. The district is divided into four administrative divisions: Ndia, Central, Gichugu, and Mwea. Tomato farmers are mostly found in Mwea Division, which is located on the border to Eastern Province and is the poorest division in Kirinyaga with 40 % of the population below the poverty line. It covers 512.8 km² and is characterized by the agroecological Low Midland Zone whose climate enables two short cropping seasons. Available arable land per person accounts only for about 0.4 ha. Due to high population density and the location of the largest Kenyan rice irrigation scheme in Mwea, land is limited and thus very expensive.

Table 17 and 18 show some basic data about Mwea Division.

Table 17: Basic data I about Mwea Division: (agricultural) area, population and % of poverty.

Table 18: Basic data II about Mwea Division: households, composition and agricultural land per person.

Composition of Family Total number

of

Households 15 years and above Under 15 years

Persons Tomatoes are the second important cash crops in Mwea Division after rice whose widespread cultivation is explained by the rice irrigation scheme.

Nyeri North District, Kieni West Division

Kieni West is one of the seven administrative divisions of Nyeri District. It is administratively divided into 5 locations (Mweiga, Endarasha, Mwiyoko, Gararakwa, and Mugunda) and 20 sub locations. It occupies an area of 542 km² of which 456 km² are cultivatable. The division is marginal and the bulk of it lies in agro-ecological zones Low Highland 4 (118 km²) and Low Highland 5 (120 km²). There is also a smaller zone of upper humid 2 (89 km²). The division is situated in a marginal area receiving unreliable rainfall which is below 300 mm p.a. for most areas. There are two rainfall seasons: The division is a cold highland with altitudes ranging from 1,920-2,500 m above sea level. The temperatures range between 15° C and 27° C with average of 19.5° C. The division is good for production of most food crops. Major crops are maize, beans, potatoes, onions, wheat, cabbages and tomatoes. Main constraint is unreliable rainfall which is poorly distributed throughout the year. Crop failures are common especially in the lower areas of the division. Individual land sizes range from 1 acre (0.4 ha) to 300 acres (120 ha), average being 5 acres (2 ha).

The 1999 census came to a population of 80,000. Of over 15,640 farm families more than 11,000 own a farm. There are 48 primary and 9 secondary schools in Kieni West.¹⁸

Researched Markets in Kenya

Wakulima market is the most important wholesale market for horticultural products in Nairobi. It is one of the two markets where only fresh produce is traded. Wakulima also includes a retail market. It is located in the city centre which means that all commodities have to be transported through the traffic of Nairobi. Wakulima market has two roofed areas providing shelter for traders during rain. The market place is owned by the Nairobi City Council (NCC) and civil servants are in charge of collecting the market fees on a daily basis. The market authority does not perform any quality assurance or standard control of the products being sold. There are two kinds of market fees. One is the fee traders or retailers pay for market entry and their stall, the other one is the fee paid by intermediaries per unit of commodities traded on the market. Those fees are important for the city council’s budget. With the growing population and increasing demand for fruit and vegetables, the market reached the limits of its capacity. Currently app. 3,000 wholesalers and retailers do business on a daily basis, far more than the market was designed for. Therefore, wholesale trade moved partly to other retail markets in town resulting in a loss of wholesale shares at

18 Information from Ministry of Agriculture Division Kieni West

Wakulima. Wholesale trade at some of these market places is set up illegally and without a licence from the NCC.

Gikomba market is located near Wakulima. It is one of the markets that emerged because of the limited space at Wakulima. The market actually developed on the streets when the traders started their business in New Pumwani and Quary Road.

This is also the reason why Gikomba market has no infrastructure, no paved roads and no buildings. Gikomba does not provide adequate facilities in terms of hygiene, security and shelter against rain and sun. The traders and retailers are still operating from the roadside. According to NCC the traders are not supposed to sell there, however business people have to pay a market fee to the NCC, receiving little in the way of service in return. Wholesale trade takes place in the morning from 4 am until 8 am on New Pumwani Road. At 8 am the wholesalers have to vacate the place. From 8 am onwards the same place is used for retail activities.

Thika is located 20 km north of Nairobi. It is an important market for the northern region around Nairobi. The new market where onions and tomatoes are mainly traded has little infrastructure, providing no shelter and no regular garbage collection.

Two further local markets in the production regions were considered. Karatina market is a big local market in Nyeri North. It has a fenced area for retail but no proper place for wholesale. There is no infrastructure such as sanitary facilities, roof or store provided by the city council at this place. In Kutus in Mwea Division wholesalers operate right outside the market from 7 to 9 am. Inside the market fence retail is carried out all day long.

Gikomba Market in Nairobi, Kenya (Source. SLE-Team)

Kutus Market, Kenya (Source: SLE-Team)