Food is an integral part of Kenyan culture, representing a rich tapestry of traditions and heritage. In Kenya, food is not merely sustenance; it holds immense social and cultural significance. Different communities have their distinct cuisines, preparation techniques, and food-related rituals that have been passed down through generations. On this episode, we interviewed Dr. Maundu, an esteemed expert from the National Museums of Kenya, who brings a wealth of knowledge on the subject and Darius Okolla, a curator at The Elephant and a renowned writer who has extensively covered food culture. They delved into the fascinating world of Kenyan cuisine, exploring its deep roots in culture and tradition in a thought-provoking discussion on the profound impact of colonialism on culinary and dietary practices in Kenya.
In recent years industrial farming and the rise of farming multinationals have reduced the agency and sovereignty of farmers over their crops, and what consumers eat. We are joined by Cidi Otieno, Kenya Peasants League International Coordinator and Convener and a food rights campaigner. He explains what this loss of sovereignty means for farmers and consumers across the country.
The public furore that followed in the wake of the announcement that farmers may be allowed to farm in forest areas is testimony to the dissonance that ails our understanding of our own natural heritage.
Low investments in the agricultural sector, inadequate rainfall, reduced crop yields, lack of water for irrigation, land scarcity, and poverty are among the challenges that affect food production in Taita Taveta, rendering the county food insecure.
Kenyans across the country are having to adjust to increased food prices as production falls due to poor rains among other causes.
Coastal cuisine is known for being cheap and providing value for money. However, ironically, in the rural areas and informal settlements within the coastal region, a balanced diet is often inaccessible.
Kericho County has experienced a gradual change in climatic conditions over the past three decades, with rainfall becoming irregular and unpredictable and drought more frequent. As a result, the region’s agricultural output is deteriorating.
In the eight decades since drought was first recorded in the 1940s, food scarcity still afflicts the region, creating a demographic of the satisfied poor who count on relief food to supplement their production.
Reliance on imports from as far away as Tanzania, Uganda and even China, leaves Kisumu County’s accessibility to food on a fragile footing.
Chakula Mashinani turns the gaze of our complex national culinary adaptation away from the cities and the urban, mostly educated elite, to the rural life and community.
Sub-division of ancestral land has all but wiped out farming in Kisii, driving poverty and malnutrition and pushing the population into migration in search of greener pastures.
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