Covid-19 transforming food distribution in urban Kenya
Emma Muroki’s mother was recently diagnosed with liver cancer. To raise money for her mother’s treatment, Emma took to Twitter to find customers for her arrowroot car boot sale business.
Emma is not alone. Even in “normal” times, many Kenyans are involved in one or more side hustles to supplement their income. As Covid-19 continues to take its toll on jobs and livelihoods, ever greater numbers are looking for new ways to earn a living. This recent video shared on social media showed a long chain of car boot sellers along Windsor Bypass, in Nairobi. More than ten cars with boots filled with fresh produce, such as maize, pineapples, eggs, potatoes, carrots, and cabbages are featured in the brief video.
As the country enacted ever stricter containment measures, following the first reported case of Covid-19 in mid-March, the resulting market disruptions have increased the need for greater adaptability by both food producers and food dealers. Hence, the surge of alternative marketing routes, such as digital markets and car boot sales.
White collar workers turn to food vending
In light with losses of livelihoods, and closure of congregated markets, car owners are able to eke a living. This type of sale has become popular due to the convenience of mobility, and the rent-free premise. It is worth noting that most new car boot sellers are white collar workers who have taken pay cuts, unpaid leave, or completely lost their incomes. Along with taxi drivers, who have seen a decrease in incomes as out-of-Nairobi travel restrictions were set up.
For farmers who choose to market their produce by car, the direct sales allow farmers to negotiate for better prices with the consumer since they avoid unscrupulous brokers and middlemen. An added advantage of car boot sales is that they offer a direct link between the farmer and buyers, allowing consumers to benefit by accessing fresh produce.
Farmers target urban hubs
Another fast-growing mode of direct service delivery is the use of digital trading platforms, and home food deliveries. I spoke to a local food retailer in urban Eldoret who expressed how her fear for Covid-19 has changed the way she sources her produce.
“I have my groceries delivered to me by a trusted person. I give him money to select, buy and deliver my stock for sales.”, she informs me. “Ever since the first case of corona was reported, I stopped going to the market to protect myself and my family.“
With more small-scale traders making similar decisions, the market has been quick to respond. It is now a common sight to see pick up trucks transporting food to small-scale food retailers within residential estates.
“These new distributors are mostly farmers who would sell to schools and other institutions in the past. Now, small-scale food retailers are their more reliable customers. Since we buy relatively large quantities and distribute to the consumer, they look for us,” she explains with a smile.
In conclusion, supply chains for food and other essential services are rightfully adjusting to these strange times. I am curious to see whether car boot markets might be part of the new normal, complete with formal market regulations and tax.
Written by Sharon Cheboi
This article is part of Covid-19 Food/Future, an initiative under TMG ThinkTank for Sustainability’s SEWOH Lab project (https://www.tmg-thinktank.com/sewoh-lab). It aims at providing a unique and direct insight into the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on national and local food systems. Also follow @CovidFoodFuture, our Video Diaries From Nairobi, and @TMG_think on Twitter. Funding for this initiative is provided by BMZ, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
