The Status of food System in Kenya

The Case of Kakamega Municipality, Kenya

Abstract

Urban food system is integral for the growth of cities. The contemporary critical challenge facing cities in the world is how do they feed. This paper discusses the status of local food system in Kakamega Municipality, Kenya. It specifically looks at the administration of urban food system and the components of food system in Kakamega Municipality. Cross sectional survey was conducted in 8 wards of Kakamega Municipality. A total of 382 households were interviewed and 175 market traders from the seven markets in the Municipality were engaged. Key informant interviews were also conducted with the Director – Agriculture, Director – Urban Planning, Director – Finance and economic planning and the market administrators. The data was electronically collected using the Kobo Collect application. The data was then sorted, coded and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), Microsoft excel and geographical information system (GIS). Qualitative and quantitative data was analyzed and presented in tables, graphs and maps using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that Kakamega Municipality is net food importer. The paper concludes by stating that the local food system is informal, undocumented and unstable. It recommends formulation of a food system strategy for Kakamega Municipality.